Jim Justice has accumulated a lot of good will in West Virginia. The governor currently enjoys a 64% approval rating, placing him in the top five most popular governors in the nation.
It’s clear to see why. He really didn’t close West Virginia during the covid era. He pushed back against proposed regulations issued by the CDC.
He was previously an owner of a coal plant and a hospitality company, making his net worth at half a billion dollars.
Despite a dying coal industry that saw a population and job loss consistently for decades, Justice has turned that around as governor, with a 4% uptick in employment this most recent year. Not easy considering you’re dealing with the state most hard hit by the coal industry demise.
He got elected as a Democrat, but actually switched to Republican to endorse Donald Trump in his re-election bid.
In the primary, he’ll be up against Congressman Alex Mooney. He strikes a more partisan bend than Justice. A poll had him over 35 points ahead of Mooney. Mooney has received some notable outside support, like the endorsements of Sens. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz. But it won’t mean much.
Justice will most likely be up against Democrat Joe Manchin. He’s cut an independent profile for himself blocking Biden’s infrastructure bill, and will be tough to beat.
But in addition to his popularity, Justice has a secret weapon. Babydog. His dog has been a ubiquitous presence during press conferences, and strangely resembles her owner.
Stay tuned as the race heats up, and expect Babydog to be at her owner’s side along the campaign trail.
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