WV STATEWIRE
During the latter part of his address, Ortiz reflected on the importance of humility and described himself as grounded despite his athletic accomplishments.
“People call me a legend,” Ortiz said. “They say this. I think it’s just the humility of myself is I’m just like you. I cry, I bleed, I sweat, go to the bathroom the same way as you.”
He pivoted from that personal reflection to cultural issues, reiterating his views on gender and family structure.
“There’s two genders. There’s a man, there’s a woman. That’s it,” Ortiz said, describing himself as “a straight shooter.”
He added that he teaches his children to distinguish right from wrong and emphasized the importance of preserving the nuclear family.
“The nuclear family is no longer together and needs to stay together,” he said.
Ortiz told the audience he believes West Virginia still reflects the close-knit community values he remembers from his youth in California.
“Since I’ve been here in West Virginia … you guys have it,” he said. “You can’t let people come in and infiltrate your state.”
Calling it his first visit to the Mountain State, Ortiz thanked attendees for the invitation and said he has delivered roughly 20 to 30 speeches since entering public life. He recalled campaigning for City Council in Huntington Beach, saying he spoke daily for four months with a simple message focused on safety and community.
“I just spoke the truth,” Ortiz said. “I want a safe community. I want our kids to be safe. I want the police to be able to do their jobs.”
He described wanting neighborhoods where residents could leave their doors unlocked and greet one another in passing.
“Love thy neighbor,” Ortiz said. “And I see that here. I see that in Florida, which makes me happy.”
