Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday endorsed West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who is running a Senate GOP primary campaign.
The endorsement marks a setback for Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) who is also vying for the U.S. Senate seat, and whom President Trump endorsed last year in a House race.
The winner of this primary will challenge Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) in the 2024 general election if he decides to seek a fourth term. The incumbent senator has said he won’t make an announcement on if he’s running until the end of the year.
Taking to Truth Social, President Trump extolled Mr. Justice’s qualities.
“Big Jim will be a Great UNITED STATES SENATOR, and has my Complete & Total Endorsement. HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!!!” President Trump wrote.
President Trump highlighted Mr. Justice’s commitment to border security, support for the military and veterans, championing clean coal and energy dominance, economic track record, efforts to combat inflation, and the preservation of Second Amendment rights.
Mr. Justice switched to the GOP after an appearance with President Trump in 2017. The governor is friends with the Trump family. In his statement on Wednesday, the former president praised Mr. Justice, who is six feet seven inches tall, as “BIG in every way, but especially in his wonderful HEART!”
His message also declared, “I LOVE WEST VIRGINIA!”
Mr. Justice, who announced that he was running for the Senate seat on April 27, welcomed President Trump’s endorsement.
“My opponent is endorsed and supported by one of the largest anti-Trump Super PACs this election cycle,” he continued.
Mr. Mooney has been backed by Club for Growth, which has campaigned against President Trump’s 2024 run, and has pledged $10 million to Mr. Mooney’s campaign, reported WVNews.
Earlier this year, Mr. Mooney told CNN that the former president flagged that he was likely to switch his endorsement to Mr. Justice out of loyalty, because “Jim Justice party switched for Trump at a rally.”
President Trump’s backing could have a major impact on the primary, as he remains extremely popular in West Virginia. He carried strong support in both the 2016 (68 percent) and 2020 (69 percent) elections in the state.
Almost 60 percent said “they cannot think of anything Trump could do or say that would make them choose not to support him for president next year,” according to the poll.
The poll showed Mr. Justice leading Mr. Manchin by a substantial margin—41 to 28 percent—while Mr. Manchin maintains an advantage over Mr. Mooney, with 37 percent of the potential vote compared to 31 percent for Mr. Mooney.
Mr. Manchin’s allies argue that a contentious primary could weaken the Republican nominee for the general election, but President Trump’s endorsement of Mr. Justice may decisively influence the primary race.
“I’m proud to support President Donald J. Trump!” Mr. Justice wrote. “President Trump secured our southern border, built a strong and prosperous economy, and supported West Virginia coal, gas, and oil to achieve American energy independence. West Virginia is Trump country!”
The West Virginia Senate primary, set for the coming months, will be a closely watched contest.
