WASHINGTON, D.C. — The swearing-in of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States Wednesday generated reaction from members of the state’s congressional delegation and other interested West Virginia groups.
The following are a sample of those statements:
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin
“Today begins a new chapter for the United States of America and her people. I extend my most sincere congratulations to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on their inauguration. Every American should want our President to succeed because if our President does well, our nation and state do well. I will do everything in my power to work with President Biden to help heal our county and to govern in the most bipartisan way because it should be about our country, democracy, the rule of law and saving our republic. We must come together to heal this political divide. God bless America.”
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito
“Today, I congratulate President Biden and Vice President Harris on their Inauguration. As we have since 2000, Charlie and I had the opportunity to witness this transfer of power. I stand ready to work with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and their administration to improve the lives of West Virginians. Our country faces many challenges ahead and we cannot let the issues that have divided us keep us from making progress. As we begin this next chapter, I hope that President Biden and Vice President Harris will work with Congress in a way that unites us so we can bridge these divisions and create a better future for all Americans.”
.@SenCapito and I are getting set for the #inauguration of our nation’s 46th President pic.twitter.com/BEYZhGJrVO
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) January 20, 2021
West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Belinda Biafore
“Today we walk through the door to a new day, leaving behind a dark chapter in our history. We have waited four years for the moment when a team would take the White House and restore honesty, decency, and integrity. That moment is today.
Today Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States. While we walk through that door and onto better days, we cannot truly shut the door behind us until we do the work to reflect and repair who we are as America.
Under the leadership of President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris, we will do just that.
Vice-President Kamala Harris became the first woman, Black American, and Asian American to serve as Vice-President of the United States.
Monumental steps forward such as that shattered glass ceiling make us proud and hopeful to be Americans.
We will begin to heal the wounds of our past and our present. We will begin to restore the soul of America, just as President Biden has vowed again and again.
As President Joe Biden said earlier today, democracy has prevailed. Today is America’s day.
I look forward to working with the Biden-Harris Administration to move our country forward and make West Virginia a better place for our children and their futures.”
West Virginia Republican Party Acting Chairman Roman Stauffer released the following statement on Inauguration Day
“We thank President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and members of the Trump Administration for their service and tremendous accomplishments on behalf of the American people. Today we will witness a peaceful transition of power, and Joe Biden will become President of the United States of America. We will pray for him, his administration, our country, and wish them God’s grace.”