Republican Mitt Romney says West Virginia coal will have a friend in the White House if he is elected president next year.

The GOP candidate took a walk through the State Fair in Greenbrier County Thursday, shaking hands and getting his name out.

Romney says his commitment to coal includes a pledge to invest federal funds in technology to convert coal into liquid fuel.

The former Massachusetts governor also says the blind trust that handles his family's wealth should divest from companies that don't conform to his political beliefs.

Romney opposes embryonic stem-cell research, and also opposes investing in companies that do business with Iran. But published information from his blind trust shows investments in both areas.

Romney had his share of supporters at the fair, but more than a few visitors did not know who he was. Romney says he hopes his recent win in the Iowa Republican Straw Poll will help change that.