Photo by Joselyn King U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore-Capito, R-West Virginia, provides the keynote address during the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce dinner Thursday night.

MOUNDSVILLE — U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito is predicting Republicans will take control of the Senate after the upcoming general election, and she sees herself appointed to chair a couple of committees.

Capito, R-W.Va., spoke of the Nov. 5 election and what’s happening in Washington prior to giving the keynote address at the annual Marshall County Chamber of Commerce dinner Thursday night.

She indicated she is hopeful for the future.

“I’m hoping after this election — if everything goes right for my party — I will be the chair of the Environmental Public Works Committee, and also one of the funding committees for health, education and labor,” Capito said.

“We just have to stick together as a nation. That does worry me. And a lot of times the things that pull you together are crises. And I don’t want to have crises. Hopefully, after the election is over we can come together and do what we do to solve problems and make a better country.”

She predicts the Senate “is going to flip.”

“I think we’re probably at 50-50,” Capito continued. “I think West Virginia will flip. I’m supporting Gov. (Jim) Justice for that position. And I think there are some other states like Ohio, Montana, MIchigan, Pennsylvania that are very much in play, and I think at the end of the day Republicans are going to take the Senate.

“We’re in a holding pattern, waiting to see what happens in the election. We need to get our spending bills out. We’ve passed a continuing resolution that is frustrating to a lot of people. … We’ll finish that when we go back.”

It’s likely Congress also will have to respond to disaster funding requests stemming from hurricanes Helene and Milton, she continued. In addition, farm and defense bills also are pending before the Senate.

“There’s lots going on, but right now we’re on a pause,” Capito said.

She doesn’t think the recent hurricane disasters will put a damper on voting. Among states hit the most are Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

“I think it could, but I hope not,” Capito explained. “I think the areas are making adjustments to make sure people have access to vote and can vote. I hope that’s the case.

“I really don’t think disasters are something we should politicize. … I’ve always been one to help our neighbors. That’s what West Virginians do. It may have some effect, but I hope that before we get to Election Day everything is straightened out.”

Capito is a native of Marshall County, and noted she was delivered at Reynolds Memorial Hospital in Glen Dale by Dr. David Ealy.

She stood by as the chamber’s board of directors presented the “Dr. David Ealy Community Service Award” posthumously to the late Tom Cook, the former Marshall County Health Administrator who passed away in May. Cook’s wife Cindy accepted the honor.

Capito said she remembered Dr. Ealy making house calls to the Moore home to provide shots.

“I loved Dr. Ealy, but I did not like his shots,” she explained.

Also honored at the dinner were two employees of Marshall County Schools — Nicole McCulley, West Virginia service personnel of the year; and Abbey Edman, Marshall County teacher of the year.

Capito acknowledged she has a great deal of respect for teachers.

“It’s not easy,” she said. “I taught Sunday school for one year, one hour a day for one day a week. I had to get out of there when one of the little kids asked, ‘Are we allowed to cuss in Sunday school?’ I thought maybe I was doing something wrong — so I decided to go to the Senate.”