The nation mourns Jimmy Carter, reflecting on his impactful visit to the Tri-State during the 1980 election campaign
Carter’s death came just a year after his beloved wife, Rosalynn, who he was married to for 77 years. Before becoming president in 1976, he was the governor of Georgia for one term.
In 1980, he was up against Ronald Reagan for re-election. During that campaign, he made a notable stop at Tri-State Airport in Kenova, West Virginia, just before the election.
Tim Gearhart, who was the executive editor of The Ironton Tribune back then, recalls the event. Carter reached out to voters in the Tri-State area, and about 2,000 people showed up, including many students from local honor bands.
He spoke for around 20 minutes and then mingled with the crowd. Gearhart even got to shake his hand, which was a memorable moment. Local Democratic leaders were there to greet him, showing their support.
Just a week before, Rosalynn had visited Cannonsburg, Kentucky, which was also covered by Gearhart and his colleague.
In the end, Carter lost the election to Reagan, but in the Tri-State, the results were mixed. Reagan won in Ohio and Kentucky, while West Virginia, a Democratic stronghold, went for Carter.
