Press Release:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A group of state coal industry organizations have joined together to form the COALition for Trump and Cole, which brings together labor, vendors and management in support of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for the presidency of the United States and West Virginia Lt. Governor Bill Cole in his run for governor.
The group was formed by United Citizens for Coal, the West Virginia Coal Association and the Logan Coal Vendors Association.
United Citizens for Coal President Roger Horton, Logan Coal Vendors Association Vice President Jimmy Winkler and West Virginia Coal Association Senior Vice President Chris Hamilton will serve as joint chairs of the organization.
“Our groups are joining together to provide support to Donald Trump for President and Senate President Bill Cole in his campaign for governor of West Virginia,” Horton said. “We believe the team of Trump and Cole will provide the kind of leadership our state and our nation needs as we struggle to combat the damage President Obama has done to our economy. Trump has shown his determination to restore our nation’s basic industries, especially coal. He recognizes the nation’s security is at risk without those industries and without the dependable energy coal provides. Cole has put the coal industry at the top of his priority list as Senate president. He quickly moved to do what could be done at the state level to improve the ability of the state’s coal industry to compete. He has streamlined regulations, bringing them in line with federal regulations, and he has moved to do what can be done to reduce operating cost through tax reform and other steps that not only help coal but improve the overall business climate for the state. He has shown himself as an effective advocate for coal and coal jobs.”
“Our state is hurting,” said Winkler, who is president of American Hydraulics, a coal industry service company in Logan. “The coal industry is hurting and the entire state is feeling the pain. Nowhere is feeling the pain more than the coalfields of southern West Virginia. Recently, six of our counties were listed as being in an economic depression. These counties have lost tens of thousands of jobs due to the policies of Obama. And Clinton has clearly said she not only plans to continue Obama’s anti-coal policies but push harder to shut the industry down. Trump will reverse those job-killing policies and he will do so quickly. Cole is from the coalfields down in Bluefield. He understands what is happening. He sees it firsthand. His opponent has indicated in the past that he stands with Clinton, now he has flip-flopped and says he won’t support her. If we can’t trust him to put coal miners ahead of politics – and his flip-flopping shows we can’t – how can we trust him to lead the state?
“We need strong leaders who will put the needs our country and of West Virginia ahead of everything else,” Hamilton said. “We need a leader who isn’t afraid to do what’s right even when it may not be the ‘popular’ thing to do. And Donald Trump and Bill Cole are those leaders. We are creating the COALition for Trump and Cole to bring together all facets of the state’s primary industry in support of West Virginia’s team of Donald Trump and Bill Cole. We urge all our friends to join with us and elect Donald Trump as president and Bill Cole as governor in November.”
About
United Citizens for Coal is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping maintain the vitality and productivity of the coal industry in West Virginia. Our organization consists of any member of the community that is involved directly or indirectly with the coal industry and understands its importance within our state’s economy. To join call 304.239.3780.
The Logan Coal Vendors Association is a coal industry trade association based in Logan, WV. It represents the coal industry as well as our service and vendor partners. The LVCA is dedicated to preserving and protecting the region’s coal and coal industry support jobs. We believe coal is the essentially bedrock to the economy of our entire region. To join call (304)752-0300.
The West Virginia Coal Association is a non-profit organization located in Charleston, W.Va., the West Virginia Coal Association represents more than 90 percent of the state’s underground and surface coal mine production. Its purpose is to have a unified voice representing the state’s coal industry as well as increase emphasis on coal as a reliable energy source to help the nation achieve energy independence. To join call 304.342.4153.
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