Lawrence County officeholders among attendees

Seeing the president of the United States live and in person is, for most people, a once in a lifetime experience.

Paul Hart, a Chesapeake Council member and real estate person, has been lucky enough to see three sitting presidents, including John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton and now Donald Trump, after his visit on Thursday at Huntington’s Big Sandy Superstore Arena.

“He was really enthusiastic,” he said. “When you look at what Trump is doing and wanting to get coal back, I think that’s good. Jobs are scarce.”

Hart said he was happy to be there, not only to see Trump but seeing history being made as West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice announced that he was switching from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.

Hart was interviewed after the rally by a news crew from CBS.

“Their main question was on what Justice did,” he said, adding that he liked Justice and his decision to switch parties. “He plays off of Trump’s platform and I always thought Justice is a choice I would make because of his policies. So I think it was a good choice and it was a moment of history for Huntington and West Virginia.”

He said as a person in business for himself, the country needs someone with serious economic policies.

“Like him or not, anyone that starts with a million dollars and turns it into billions,” he said. “He’s got my vote. I want to see progress.”

Mary Cogan, a South Point Council member and the treasurer for the Lawrence County Republican Party Central Committee said she was thrilled to be there to see the president.

This was the first opportunity she’s had to see a president at a rally and she didn’t know beforehand what to really expect.

“It was amazing,” she said. “There was so much energy in the room. People were dancing in the aisles, laughing, it was just wonderful to be there.”

Cogan said she felt that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

“How many times are you going to get a chance to go to a rally so close to home,” she said. “I loved his message and I thought it was pretty terrific.”

She said there were a couple of protestors inside with derogatory signs, but that didn’t really affect Trump’s supporters’ enjoyment of the rally.

“I think it went just terrific,” Cogan said. “He gave a lot of shout outs to West Virginia. It was so high energy. I’m so happy I was there. I would definitely go see him again.”