Palin Wings into West Virginia to Back Raese, Also Talks 2012

Charleston, WV -- Sarah Palin brought some star power to West Virginia's Capitol city Saturday.

Palin, along with her husband Todd and rock and roll legend Ted Nugent, came to a rally in support of Republican John Raese's Senate run against popular Democratic Governor Joe Manchin.

A few short months ago Manchin, the sitting Governor with high approval ratings, was considered a shoe-in for the seat formerly held by Senator Robert Byrd.

But the cap and trade legislation backed by President Obama and Washington Democrats is hugely unpopular here in West Virginia where coal is king.

"Next door to us right now in Virginia we have Mr. Barack Obama campaigning... and they're in favor of cap and trade," said Raese."In West Virginia we're campaigning to abolish cap and trade."

The message is resonating with some. Rose Feltner, a registered Democrat, was in attendance today and told Fox News that she would be voting Republican in this election because of cap and trade legislation.

"If they do cap and trade, coal will be gone in West Virginia," said Feltner.

Raese has made this one of the tightest races in the nation by telling voters that in Washington Manchin will be nothing more than a rubber stamp for President Obama.

Palin warned West Virginians that Manchin is a "good guy" but would be "expected to fall in line with Washington Democrats."

"West Virginia you have a choice in this election," Palin said. "Do you want to sit in the backseat while Obama and Pelosi and Reid drive us to that cliff? You want to turn it around and you be in the driver's seat!"

The former Alaska Governor also went directly after President Obama, bringing 2012 politics to the forefront.

Speaking about her upcoming reality television series, "Sarah Palin's Alaska," Palin joked that the producers of her show are thinking about a sequel called "Barack Obama's golf courses," implying the commander in chief will have plenty of time on his hands after the 2012 elections.

Raese and Palin were flanked by "The Motor City Madman," hard charging guitarist Ted Nugent who wowed the crowd with a rocking version of the star spangled banner played on his tiger striped electric guitar.