CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) – There is mixed reaction in our region to former President Donald Trump’s announcement that he will make a third run for the White House. When it comes to Donald Trump, there are always sharp and strong opinions about him from both ends of the political spectrum.

Trump won the White House in 2016, but lost in 2020. In 2016, trump carried 69% of the vote in West Virginia, which was his highest take of any state in the nation. In 2020, West Virginia was only behind Wyoming in terms of Trump’s percentage of the vote. Reaction here to his third run for president is split along party lines.

“I support President Trump 100%. He endorsed me, as you know in my primary earlier this year. West Virginians embrace him fully, and certainly his conservative policies are what we need for this country,” said Rep. Alex Mooney, (R) West Virginia – District 2.

“His own former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, I believe, said he was the only Republican that could lose. Many of his former donors are no longer supporting him. And even Ivanka, his own daughter, said that she wasn’t going to be involved this time,” said Del. Mike Pushkin, (D) Kanawha and West Virginia Democrat Party Chairman.

“If you make a comparison between our current president and President Trump, there is no comparison. President Trump strengthened our policies at the border. He was respected internationally,” said State Sen.-Elect Mike Stuart, WV 2016 Trump Campaign Manager.

Governor Jim Justice, who is friends with the Trump family, says he supports the former president.

Current President Joe Biden said, “No, not really,” when asked if he had reaction to the Trump announcement while at a summit in Indonesia. Biden plans to announce his re-election plan in January.

There is no shortage of potential Republican challengers to Donald Trump. They include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, and even former Vice President Mike Pence may run against his old boss.