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Republican Jim Justice has won West Virginia’s open U.S. Senate race, flipping a key Senate seat, the Associated Press projects.
Justice, 73, has served as West Virginia’s governor since 2017. He was elected as a Democrat, but switched to the Republican Party once in office.
West Virginia Senate race results
Who is Jim Justice?
A native of Raleigh County, Justice and his family own dozens of companies and are worth upwards of $1.5 billion, according to Forbes. He has been accused in numerous court claims of being late in paying millions of dollars he owes in debts for family businesses and fines for unsafe working conditions at his coal mines.
Justice also owns the financially beleaguered Greenbrier hotel and luxury resort, a 710-room hotel that has hosted U.S. presidents, royalty, NFL teams, PGA Tour golf tournaments, and congressional retreats.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice speaks on stage with his dog, Babydog, on the second day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 16, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Now, he’s fighting to keep the historic hotel from going up for auction due to unpaid debts. As of Aug. 20, the Justice family hadn’t made contributions to employees’ health fund in months.
His family also owns The Greenbrier Sporting Club, a private luxury community with a members-only "resort within a resort." That property was scheduled to be auctioned off this year in an attempt to recover more than $300 million in business loans defaulted by the governor’s family, but a court battle between the Justice family and the bank delayed that process.
Justice regularly brings Babydog, his four-year-old English bulldog, to public appearances, including at his State of the State address in 2022 and his speech at the Republican National Convention in July.
He and his wife Cathy have two children.
Justice’s views on the issues
Justice is "rock-solid against abortion."
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, Justice released a statement applauding the ruling that ended the constitutional right to an abortion.
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Tracking the balance of power in the Senate
LiveNOW's Austin Westfall takes a look at the Senate races likely to determine the balance of power in Congress with political analyst Rich Rubino.
"I’ve said many times that I very proudly stand for life and I am rock-solid against abortion, and I believe that every human life is a miracle worth protecting," the statement read.
A few months later, he signed into law a ban on abortions at all stages of pregnancy, making West Virginia the second state to enact a total ban. He also opposed a proposal by Democratic lawmakers to let voters decide whether abortion should continue to be allowed in the state.
Justice has touted 25 new tax cuts since taking office – including a 4% cut in state income taxes effective next year – and believes the key to growing the economy is "slashing burdensome regulations, supporting small businesses, and rewarding hard work, not punishing it," according to his campaign website.
Justice said he believes Biden’s economic policies are to blame for inflation, and he supports more oil drilling, coal and natural gas production.
He has said he supports new investment in artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and cryptocurrencies as avenues for economic growth. Justice said he would support legislation establishing a "clear regulatory framework" for each sector.
"We cannot keep heading in the same direction," his website platform states. "Hardworking West Virginians deserve to keep more of their money and be able to find good paying jobs."
Justice has been criticized for underfunding public schools and the state’s foster care system, and advocates for low-income residents say he has failed to meet the challenges facing the neediest citizens. During the pandemic, some lawmakers attacked Justice’s prize giveaways for people who got vaccinated against the coronavirus as "wasteful spending."
West Virginia has one of the highest poverty rates in the United States. It also lost the highest percentage of residents among any state over the past decade, an exodus that cost it a seat in Congress, and continued through Justice’s second term, according to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for 2023.