Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) said he will decide by the end of February whether or not he will run for Senate in 2024.
The term-limited GOP governor said he is strongly considering a run to challenge his longtime rival, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), for the seat in what could be a hotly contested Republican primary.
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“I know the people of West Virginia. I know really and truly that they’ve been left in the dust and they really believe in me and trust me,” Justice told CBS News.
Justice also told the outlet he would be a “reliably Republican” vote in the Senate. The governor was first elected in 2016 as a Democrat before switching party affiliation to Republican months into his first term. He had previously been a registered Republican before his gubernatorial bid.
“I’m rock-solid as a Republican and being entrenched in those values,” Justice told the outlet. “I’m a patriot. I really am. And I think our nation is going in a direction that could be our demise.”
The Republican primary is set to be a fierce battle, with Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) already declared as a candidate and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey evaluating his options.
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Manchin has not announced whether he will seek another term but is one of several Democratic senators facing difficult reelection bids in Republican-leaning states in 2024. Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) are also expected to face fierce challenges from GOP candidates.
