Trump stumps for Mooney by phone
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CHARLESTON -- With one week left until the May 10 West Virginia Republican primary, former president Donald Trump joined Rep. Alex Mooney by phone Tuesday to express his support for Mooney over Rep. David McKinley in the 2nd Congressional District race.
Mooney held a live tele-rally with supporters Tuesday evening with Trump joining by phone to reaffirm his endorsement last fall for the four-term congressman as he fights for the Republican nomination in the 2nd District which combined part of his district with McKinley's 1st Congressional District.
"We have to make sure that we vote for this great gentleman, a friend of mine, and really a warrior in every sense of the way," Trump said. "Alex is an American First warrior, a House of Representatives person that I call, and he's always been there for me."
Mooney secured Trump's endorsement in the race after traveling to Trump's Florida resort in Mar-a-Lago last fall and after McKinley voted with 12 other Republicans in the House for the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November.
The bill is expected to bring between $6 billion and $8 billion infrastructure funding to West Virginia, but Mooney and opponents have tried to link that bill to the failed Build Back Better social spending plan and the Green New Deal environmental bill that progressives in Congress could not get traction on.
"He's running against David McKinley, a RINO (Republican In Name Only) who supported the fake infrastructure bill that wasted hundreds of billions of dollars on the green new deal, which is a hoax," Trump said. "McKinley was in there fighting for it, and that's against the interests of West Virginia."
"I opposed that package as did almost every Republican except the 13 sellouts who helped put it up over the top and pass this bill," Mooney said.
McKinley also voted for a failed bill to create a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of Trump to stop the certification of the 2020 election for President Joe Biden. Trump tried to claim that McKinley supported the Jan. 6 select committee created by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., which McKinley has opposed. Trump placed blame on Pelosi for not requesting more security leading up to the certification.
"He also supported, McKinley, the radical Democrats unselect committee on January 6th and to smear our movement," Trump said. "He supported Pelosi's phony narrative and he helped the left weaponized law enforcement against conservatives. Remember, Pelosi in charge of Capitol security. She should be responsible for what happened because she turned down thousands of soldiers. She was given the options of having soldiers and she turned it down on January 3rd, so remember that when you hear about the un-select committee."
"It is an embarrassment to America to watch these continual bogus witch hunt investigations against president Trump and his allies, and really against anybody who stands up to the left," Mooney said.
Despite being nearly two years out from the 2024 presidential election, Trump continues to push the narrative that he truly won the 2020 election and that it was stolen from him by Biden.
"We had an election that was a disgrace and got more votes than any president in history, and you saw what happened," Trump said. "Everybody on this line probably agrees that it's a disgrace, but we have warriors like Alex and we're going to get it all back."
Trump issued an additional statement last week re-upping his support for Mooney at the start of early voting in West Virginia, which wraps up this Saturday. Speaking Tuesday, Trump said he was proud to support Mooney.
"Congressman Alex Mooney, by contrast, is a true champion for your values, your jobs, and your freedom in the House of Representatives," Trump continued. "Alex is the only candidate in this race that has my complete and total endorsement."
"Thank you, Mr. President. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all you've done for America, and you taking the time to support and endorse me and really fighting for me in this election," Mooney said. "I really, really appreciate it."