Pocahontas County Republicans Host Lincoln Dinner at Oprah House
The Pocahontas County Republican Party hosted a Lincoln Day Dinner at the Oprah House in Marlinton on August 1st.
Here are just a few of the highlights from the event.
At the outset, Joe Smith, the former Mayer of Marlinton was presented the Pocahontas GOP Lifetime Achievement Award. This was followed by a Pledge of Allegiance and an opening prayer.
Following Dinner, Jeremy Bauserman, serving as Master of Ceremony at the fundraising event, introduced the primary guest speaker, U. S. Congressman Evan Jenkins from the 3rd Congressional District which includes Pocahontas County.
“It’s very rare for a first term member of Congress to get a seat on the House Appropriations Committee, but Evan Jenkins has accomplished that, one of only two freshman (Congressmen) on the House Appropriations Committee as of the beginning of this term” said Bauserman. “(Jenkins) served for 6 years in the (WV) House of Delegates and 12 years in the West Virginia State Senate”
Bauserman went on to describe Congressman Jenkins impressive educational credentials.
Congressman Jenkins talked about winning Pocahontas County by 60 votes in his 2014 election victory and used the election of a fellow freshman member of Congress, Martha McSally to point out just how important everyone’s vote is.
“We have some neat folks who serve as freshmen members of the House of Representatives” Jenkins said. “We got Martha McSally, who is the first female combat pilot in American History. She’s serving in Congress from Arizona. I mention it because your 60 votes that we won by in Pocahontas County – Martha McSally won her whole congressional race by 160 votes. So when you think about does every vote count? It sure does.”
Jenkins went on to talk about how much he enjoys Pocahontas County. He said that he is looking forward to this year’s Road kill Cook-off and remembered how much he enjoyed watching the expression on the children’s faces as they participated in the Greased Pig Contest at last year’s cook-off.
Congressman Jenkins went on to talk about the services his District Office can provide citizens who are having difficult issues with federal programs like Medicare. To emphasize his commitment to providing good Constituent Service, Jenkins said he retained a number of former Democratic Congressman Nick Rahall’s Constituent Service Staff because they were very experienced and good at what they do and he wasn’t about to “let all those years of experience go.”
Two other guest speakers made presentations at the event.
State Senator Robert Karnes, who is Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and Chairman of the Senate Technology Committee, who said that despite some sharp differences with the Democrats in the WV State Senate, they often worked together.
“It’s amazing the numbers of bills you see go through the Chamber, or even yet there is a 34 to zero vote in the Senate” Karnes said. “Because most of the stuff everybody does agree on.”
He talked about the Medical Malpractice reform passed by the State Senate by both parties and was needed because the State Supreme Court had chipped away at the previously passed malpractice reforms passed in 2003. He said that by revising and again passing malpractice reform, both parties sent a message to the Supreme Court that they wanted the reforms to happen. He also talked about some legal reforms regarding lawsuits.
“So now if you fall down outside it’s probably your own fault instead of being able to sue” chuckled Senator Karnes.
State Senator Gregory Boso also spoke to the gathering. He emphasized the role his Christian Faith has played in his life and in his political decisions.
The dinner event ended with Julia Bauserman and her son Jeremy Bauserman singing “Almost Heaven West Virginia”, “Amazing Grace” and Julia singing “West Virginia Hills”.
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