Listen as Jesse Johnson, the founder of the Mountain Party and candidate for U.S. Senate, describes events at Appalachia Rising, a protest event in Washington D.C. to protest the act of mountaintop removal mining.

The event has drawn hundreds of anti-mountaintop removal activists and supports from all across the nation. The event was attended by noted climatologist Dr. James Hansen, authors Erik Reece and Silas House, Native American activist Matthew Sherman, country music star Big Kenny, and others. Johnson spoke to West Virginia Watchdog from in front of the White House, where activists had organized an act of civil disobedience.

Johnson is running against Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin, Republican John Raese, and Constitution Party candidate Jeff Becker. Both Manchin and Raese support mountaintop removal, while Johnson does not. Johnson was recently endorsed by former Congressman and Secretary of State Ken Hechler, who lost to Manchin in the August Democratic primary. Hechler was running on an anti-mountaintop removal platform.

The winner of the November special election will serve the rest of the unexpired term of the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd.

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