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Marking a new start in West Virginia

Gov. Patrick Morrisey gave us a peek last Monday at his inspiration when he touched on points from the presidential administrations of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush during his inauguration ceremony as the state’s 37th governor. Rather than Reagan’s “shining city on a hill,” Morrisey repeatedly referred to West Virginia as “that shining state in the mountains.” Later, he appeared to give a nod to Bush’s No Child Left Behind education initiative by saying we will aim to assure every child has a chance to thrive and that “We will leave no one behind.”

It is encouraging to hear our new governor say he is focusing on hope — becoming economically competitive, doing right by our students and those working in the public school system, continuing to attack the substance abuse epidemic and being a beacon of opportunity and prosperity for all. That’s something all West Virginians should quickly get behind.

Certainly, he has shown his willingness to get to work quickly on that which he believes is important for achieving those goals. On Tuesday, Morrisey’s first full day in office, he wasted no time in outlining part of his vision for the Mountain State.

“This is our moment to rise, to dream bigger, to achieve more,” Morrisey said. “We’ve seen tough times before, and as a state, we’ve always come out of it stronger. Our story, it’s still being written. And every West Virginian will play a role in shaping the next chapter. So, let’s be bold, let’s be courageous, and let’s move forward together. I promise you this, I’ll never stop fighting for you, for our families, and for West Virginia’s future.”

Meanwhile, Tuesday in Washington, D.C., U.S. Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., took the oath of office to join U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., in getting to work for the Mountain State there.

Justice understands it is “time to set America on the right path,” and that he has a job to do.

“Together, we can work in tandem to implement the changes that West Virginians demanded for our country at the ballot box in November,” Capito said of Justice. “I’m excited for all he will accomplish as a senator and look forward to the results we can deliver for the Mountain State as a unified team.”

That’s an important point to keep in mind for the future, as well.

West Virginia’s team — from our senior senator in the nation’s capital to the greenest member of the House of Delegates in Charleston — knows what Mountain State residents expect of them.

If they keep their focus on providing the hope, opportunity and prosperity about which Morrisey spoke, we will be a shining state in the mountains, indeed.

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