9th District GOP: Puckett needs to support coal jobs by attending rally tomorrow

Romney visit to Abingdon for rally in support of coal best opportunity for Democratic Senator to weigh-in against Obama

Bastian, VA, October 4, 2012:  The 9th District Republican Committee today challenged Democratic Senator Phillip Puckett (D-Russell) to support the coal industry and coal jobs by signaling his support for Mitt Romney at tomorrow’s rally at Carter Machinery in Abingdon.

Puckett told voters he would not be supporting President Barack Obama for reelection when he sought reelection last year.  On September 22, 2011, WJHL-TV aired an interview in which Puckett stated, “I don’t plan to support President Obama for reelection.”

Despite that pledge, Puckett has yet to indicate for whom he will be voting on November 6.  Romney’s visit to Abingdon, for a campaign rally highlighting the vital importance of the coal industry to Southwest Virginia, provides the best opportunity to date for Puckett to fulfill his campaign pledge by demonstrating his opposition to Obama’s reelection.

“Governor Romney is once again demonstrating his commitment to coal by holding this rally tomorrow,” declared Jack Morgan, Chairman of Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District Republican Committee.  “This is a great opportunity for Phillip Puckett to fulfill his reelection-year pledge to the voters of his district.  He should demonstrate his opposition to the Obama Administration’s anti-coal policies by attending this rally and endorsing Governor Romney.”

The Obama Administration’s policies undercutting coal and discouraging the use of coal to generate electricity have had a devastating effect on Southwest Virginia.  Over the last month, more layoffs in the industry have been announced with the closure of Virginia mines.
“Remaining silent in this race amounts to tacitly supporting Barack Obama for another four year term,” Morgan asserted.  “The extreme anti-coal agenda pursued by the White House is costing our region its livelihood.
It’s uprooting and displacing families and bringing about hardship.  Phillip Puckett cannot continue to stand idly by and ignore the real hardships being endured by the people of our region.  He needs to follow through on his pledge and stand up against another four years of Barack Obama.”

Tickets to the Romney campaign rally in Abingdon are free and can be obtained online at http://www.mittromney.com/events/rally-mitt-romney-abingdon.  Morgan says he will ensure that Puckett will be able to attend the rally if he decides to fulfill his pledge..
“I’ve reserved a ticket for Senator Puckett,” Morgan noted. “He won’t feel out of place at all.  There are so many Southwest Democrats supporting Governor Romney that he’ll see a lot of friendly, familiar faces.”

Jack Morgan
Chairman
9th District Republican Committee
cell 276-724-6283
fax 276-688-2404

###