The 2012 race for the White House officially comes to northeastern and central Pennsylvania on Thursday.
Mitt Romney, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, is set to pay a visit to a company in Wyoming County.
Mountain Energy Services just east of Tunkhannock will host our area's first visit by a presidential candidate in 2012.
Mitt Romney will stop there on Thursday afternoon, paying a visit to the heart of our area's new Marcellus Shale drilling industry.
"I think he's going to win it. I think he's going to be the one who's nominated," said Catherine Crawford of Tunkhannock.
Mountain Energy Services is a locally-owned company that provides water to the drilling industry.
The company said it's thrilled to host the candidate to show him the positive impact of drilling for natural gas.
“I think it's important. I work clearing the lines, cutting the trees for them. I think it's really important. It's good for the area, good for everyone around, I think,” said Bob Murray of Tunkhannock Township.
Romney's visit comes on the heels of his primary election victories in Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington D.C. this week.
Now he turns his attention to the northeast and the Pennsylvania primary on April 24 in the home state of his chief rival Rick Santorum.
“I was just thinking about it two days ago, driving in the car and thinking it's great seeing all this on television but they won't be coming here and then two days later, here he is Tunkhannock," said Kenny Young of Tunkhannock Township.