Obama visits Southwest: Will Phillip Puckett be there?
Democratic Senator said he wouldn’t support Obama for reelection but hasn’t declared who he will be supporting
Bastian, VA, July 13, 2012 : When he was in a tough fight for reelection last year, Democratic Senator Phillip Puckett (D-Russell) told the voters of his district he would not be supporting President Barack Obama for reelection.
“I don’t plan to support President Obama for reelection,” Puckett told WJHL’s George Jackson during his contentious race against Republican Adam Light. WJHL aired Puckett’s pledge on September 22, 2011.
Now, Jack Morgan, Chairman of Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District Republican Committee, is wondering whether or not Puckett intends to keep his pledge. He also wants to know whether Puckett will start attending events for presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney. Romney brought his campaign to Salem on June 26, but no one reported seeing Senator Puckett at the event.
“Senator Puckett made it clear last year that he would no longer be supporting President Obama,” noted Morgan. “Well then, who is he supporting? Will he be welcoming the President to Roanoke today or will he be joining many other elected officials at the GOP and Tea Party supported Rally to protest President Obama’s policies that have hurt Southwest Virginia?
“There’s a campaign underway and Virginia is being characterized as the state that will decide whether or not Barack Obama gets another four years to continue his war on coal.
“Doing nothing in this race is not an option for the people of Southwest. The outcome of this election will determine the future of the coal industry, and reelecting Barack Obama would be a disaster for Southwest. It’s time for Phillip Puckett to step up and fulfill his campaign pledge by announcing his support for Mitt Romney.
“Mitt Romney’s campaign is attracting support from Republicans, Independents, and Democrats in Southwest, so Senator Puckett won’t be lonely when he comes to our events. Since Senator Puckett decided not to request reappointment to the Coal and Energy Commission and the Tobacco Commission, he should have more time on his hands.
“Governor Romney will be back in Virginia soon. We’ll be looking forward to seeing Senator Puckett then..”