Sen. Shelley Moore Capito Reflects on RNC Appearance, Women Voters During Visit to Wheeling, Marshall County
W.Va. Senator Reveals Thoughts on Trump
WHEELING — During a trip to Wheeling and Marshall County on Thursday, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., voiced her efforts to better the treatment of women voters during this year’s presidential campaign.
Capito made various stops in the Northern Panhandle after her appearance at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last week. During her RNC speech Tuesday evening, Capito described her Mountain State roots, dubbing West Virginia as “one big small town” affected by a decline in coal production.
The first woman elected to serve West Virginia in the Senate, Capito reiterated those ideas about the upcoming election to Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce members Thursday morning, touching on her initial concerns with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s delivery during discussions pertaining to women.
“I think really my concern — and this has been public — is that early on, his comments concerning women caused me to have some concern, and I expressed that to him personally. I think since then, he’s done a much better job of realizing the implications of his comments,” Capito said.
“He’s going to be introduced by his daughter (Thursday night). She’s a very strong businesswoman. Obviously, a lot of strong women have surrounded him, so I say let’s talk about that.”
She added when she spoke to Trump in person, he was receptive to her suggestions.
“I have told (Trump) the delivery that he took, especially regarding issues involving women, bothered me and that he’s got to reshape the way he phrases things. He obviously has strong women in his life and in business that he has respect for,” Capito said. “If you’re going to get women to vote for you, you have to work on delivery. He was very attentive to that and said he understood.”
Capito also explained her opinions on Trump’s plans for trade agreements.
“Number one, he is not anti-trade, he’s free trade,” Capito said. “As for me, I voted for TPA (Trade Promotion Authority), allowing the president to move forward on these trade agreements. All we get in congress is a simple up or down vote, rather than adding into what these trade agreements are,” Capito said. “I think he will be very pro-free trade. He has said (he) is not an isolationist.”
She added her appearance at the RNC in Cleveland was a unifying experience.
“The conventions are fun. They’re unifying and unpredictable” she said. “To have that key speaking spot on Tuesday night to talk about West Virginia, where I see our future and how I think the Republican party has the better solution, was quite an honor.”
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