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Sen. Ted Cruz stumps for Alex Mooney in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle

KEARNEYSVILLE, W.Va. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz arrived in West Virginia Thursday to throw his support toward his friend Alex Mooney for the West Virginia Senate seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III.

Mooney faces Gov. Jim Justice in the Republican primary election to win a place on the ballot for the November general election.

Cruz, R-Texas, met with several standing ovations at a gathering at RSD Horse Auctions.

"The people of West Virginia have a choice in front of them," Cruz said in a brief meeting with the media prior to addressing the crowd. "Across the country people are frustrated with Republicans who make empty promises. Alex has been standing for West Virginia in Congress and now our Senate desperately needs conservative warriors," Cruz continued.

The Texas Senator went on to say that the West Virginia race was a different race a year ago when everyone thought Manchin would run.

"It's a very different race now," he said, saying that it is more than probable that the next Senator from West Virginia will be a Republican. "I don't really know Gov. Justice, but I do know Alex and I will support the strongest conservative who can win and that is Alex," Cruz said.

Mooney took a few moments to address the crowd before introducing Cruz.

"You deserve a conservative U.S. Senator and that's me," Mooney said to the attendees. "Justice would be the most liberal Republican in the country if he won this election," he added.

He then called Cruz to the microphone, saying that the Texas Senator is a stalwart of the conservative movement.

"He's the top target other than Trump, but he came here to be with us in West Virginia," Mooney said, to a rousing round of applause.

Cruz spoke to the audience for more than 30 minutes, explaining that now is a crucial time for conservative Republicans to be elected to office. He spoke of visits to the southern border, where he said, despite what West Virginians may see on the news, it is so much worse. He spoke of colored wrist bands that litter the ground--colors that signify what those escaping into the United States owe the cartels below the border.

"It's human slavery," Cruz said, adding that every Democrat in Washington is directly responsible for it.

He pointed out that what he believes needs to happen is that Donald Trump needs to be re-elected and "we need to win the Senate of the United States." He explained that with a Republican from West Virginia, which is likely, it would take only one more Republican win to have a majority.

"The choice that matters is in the primary," Cruz stressed. "It matters who West Virginia sends to the Senate. I support the strongest conservative who can win," he reiterated to the crowd. "There are only a handful of Republicans willing to stand and fight and Alex will stand and fight."

Cruz went on to say that he is a believer in "don't tell me, show me," and while during the primary, every Republican claims to be a conservative, it is actions that prove it.

"If you're really a conservative, you shouldn't even have to tell people," he added. "I'm here because Alex Mooney is my friend and Alex Mooney is a strong-principled conservative warrior."

Cruz spoke of his family's similarities to Mooney's, sharing that his father and aunt escaped from Cuba, as did Mooney's mother.

"My father escaped and came to the United States. If we lose our freedom here, where do we go?" he questioned.

He challenged all those in attendance at the rally to reach out and ask them to vote for Mooney.

"At the end of the day, the voters of West Virginia will decide this race. This is a fight worth fighting," he said, saying that the stakes are enormously high: a choice to remain a free enterprise nation versus collapsing in socialism.

"West Virginia deserves a conservative warrior like Alex Mooney," Cruz said as he concluded his remarks saying, "West Virginia is worth defending. America is worth defending."

Toni Milbourne can be reached at tmilbourne@journal-news.net