West Virginia Sen. Glenn Jeffries, one of the few remaining Democratic senators in the state, announced Thursday he is switching parties.
Jeffries, who represents parts of Putnam and Kanawha counties in District 8, said in a statement he has filed to switch his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican.
“I have the greatest respect for the many friends and supporters I have been blessed with during my time in public office,” Jeffries said in the statement. “I hope to continue and strengthen those relationships going forward.”
The state senator did not detail in his statement why he was switching parties.
Jeffries has been credited for his recent efforts to bring economic development to the region, including a longshot letter to Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett that resulted in a $500 million investment in Jackson County.
First elected in 2016, Jeffries was most recently reelected in 2020 for a term that ends in 2024.
West Virginia Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin said he hopes Jeffries can continue his previous work in his new party.
“Just last year Senator Jeffries received the highest score of any West Virginia Senator from Climate Cabinet Action, a national group dedicated to supporting the best climate and environmental justice champions in statehouses across the country,” Pushkin said in a statement. “Hopefully, Glenn will be permitted to continue to be an environmental justice champion in his new party.”
Jeffries was one of four Democrats in the West Virginia Senate prior to the switch. Republicans now hold 31 of 34 seats in the West Virginia Senate.