WEIRTON — Patrick Morrisey continues to meet with West Virginia residents, listening to their concerns along his path seeking to become the state’s next governor.

“We finished up our 55-county tour,” Morrisey, West Virginia’s current attorney general, said while visiting Hancock and Brooke counties Thursday, adding he is planning on a return trip before the Nov. 5 election.

Morrisey, the Republican nominee, is facing Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, a Democrat, in the quest for the Governor’s Office, with each hoping to take over for outgoing governor Jim Justice, who is on his own campaign for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va.

“It’s been very eye-opening,” Morrisey said following a meet-and-greet event at Station Grille in Wellsburg, where residents had an opportunity to meet with the candidate to express concerns or ask questions. “Every county has a unique story to tell.”

In Brooke County, for example, Morrisey said he has heard primarily about concerns over infrastructure development, including the need for a replacement of the Market Street Bridge crossing the Ohio River between Follansbee and Steubenville.

In Tyler County, though, residents asked about natural gas revenue and tax royalty concerns, and in Marshall County, he heard concerns about the future of the coal industry.

Still, there are some topics Morrisey has seen as universal throughout the Mountain State, including concerns over population and economic growth, as well as the continuing opioid epidemic.

“Workforce participation is very high on the list,” he said.

If elected, Morrisey anticipates reaching out to lawmakers from throughout West Virginia in crafting his agenda for the state’s future.

“I’m looking forward to working with legislators in this area and across the state,” Morrisey said. “The Northern Panhandle is going to have a strong voice.”

He also is hopeful for a return of Donald Trump to the White House, noting Trump endorsed his candidacy, and he believes there will be a strong connection between West Virginia and the presidency if that happens.

“As the next governor, I’m excited about the prospect to work with him,” he said. “He cares passionately about West Virginia.”