Campaigning for the Virginia gubernatorial race next year has already begun.
Republican candidate Ed Gillespie was in our area Monday as part of a two-day tour that includes stopping at tourist hot spots.
News 5 caught up with him on the Appalachian Trail in Damascus.
He said he is trying to educate the central and northern parts of the state on all there is to offer in Southwest Virginia.
“We’ve got to create more opportunities and tourism is a sector where we have that opportunity. It’s the second biggest sector in the Commonwealth. I think we can do even better, and I want to make that a focus. Jobs in general, tourism as a sector,” Gillespie said.
Gillespie says he wants to create an office of federalism to offset federal regulations, especially on the coal industry.
But he also says he wants to find more job opportunities so this area is not so reliant on coal.