W.V. Governor's Switch To the GOP Lands Democrats At a New Low

Bryan Michalek | August 4, 2017
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At a GOP rally in Huntington, West Virginia on Thursday, Democratic Governor Jim Justice announced that he will be changing his party affiliation to Republican.

Justice appeared at a rally with President Donald Trump at his side, where he publicly declared his registration change to a crowd of around 9,900 people.

"I will tell you with lots of prayers and lots of thinking, today I will tell you as West Virginians that I can't help you anymore being Democrat governor," he said.

Justice also spoke highly of the president, saying, "This is a good man. He's got a backbone. He's got real Ideas."

"He cares about America, He cares about us in West Virginia," the soon-to-be-former Democrat added. 

The relationship between Justice and the president has been inviting, as the two have discussed opening more coal mines and creating new manufacturing jobs in the Mountain State.

During the rally, Trump praised Justice's party switch, saying, "Gov. Justice did something else very important tonight. He showed the country that our agenda rises above left or right."

Jim Justice ran as a conservative Democrat in November after a long career as a businessman who funded his campaign mostly out of his own pocket. 

Although the move has been endorsed by the president and other Republicans, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, released a statement in response, saying, "I have been and always will be a proud West Virginia Democrat."

"I am disappointed by Gov. Justice's decision to switch parties. while I do not agree with his decision, I have always said that I will work with anyone, no matter their political affiliation, to do what is best for the people of West Virginia," Manchin added. 

As a Democrat, Justice declined to endorse Hillary Clinton in 2016 and now puts the Democratic party in a tough situation, and puts the GOP's advantage in governorships over Democrats at a record high of 34 to 15. This move has also grants Republicans complete control of state governments in 26 states. 

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