Trump-backed West Virginia Gov. Justice wins Senate seat
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice with his dog, Babydog, at the Republican National Convention in July in Milwaukee. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Trump-backed West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) won the state's closely watched U.S. Senate race on Tuesday, per AP, besting his Democratic challenger and flipping the seat long held by Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.).
Why it matters: The coal-mining magnate's victory strips Democrats of a stronghold they historically guarded in the solidly red state.
- The GOP victory also marks the first time the state will not send a Democrat to the Senate since 1958.
The big picture: Manchin, a controversial yet consistent Democratic bulwark, announced he wouldn't seek reelection last year, creating an opening for a Republican win in West Virginia. The GOP had long struggled across Manchin's 14-year tenure in the chamber in their crusade to oust him.
- The centrist senator, who changed his party affiliation to independent but caucuses with Democrats, was seen as the most popular candidate who could prevent a Republican win.
- The GOP saw Manchin's support of climate legislation as a potential hit to his political standing.
State of play: Justice has served as the state's governor for nearly eight years.
- Once the wealthiest person in West Virginia, he's faced scrutiny over his business practices. After he assumed gubernatorial office in 2017, he handed his vast coal empire off to his son.
- Last year, the Justice Department sued 13 companies owned and operated by the governor's son Jay Justice over alleged unpaid civil penalties for mining violations.
Glenn Elliott, the Democratic candidate, did not have the name recognition Justice boasted.
- The former two-term mayor of his hometown of Wheeling, West Virginia, once worked for the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), who previously held the competitive seat.
Zoom out: Justice, an ally of former President Trump who spoke at the last Republican National Convention (alongside his viral bulldog, Babydog), first won the gubernatorial race in 2016 as a Democrat but switched his affiliation in 2017.
- Trump backed Justice over House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) in the Republican primary.
Between the lines: West Virginia is a prime case study in the MAGA-driven shift in U.S. politics — remade in Trump's image.
- While the state is now seen as solidly Republican, it was once a battleground state that leaned blue.
- In 2016, Trump won West Virginia by more than 40 points over Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. In 2020, Trump's winning margin was similar against President Biden.
Go deeper: DOJ sues West Virginia governor's coal empire over unpaid federal penalties
