West Virginia Gov Jim Justice switches to GOP during to Trump rally, ‘I can’t help you as a Democrat’
The Democratic governor of West Virginia announced at a President Trump rally in his home state of West Virginia that he is switching to the Republican Party.
“Today, I tell you as West Virginians, I can’t help you anymore being a Democrat governor,” Jim Justice said. “So tomorrow, I will be changing my registration to Republican.”
Trump had teased that there would be a “big announcement” at the rally in Huntington, West Virginia and praised the move by Justice for “show(ing) the country our agenda rises above left or right.”
This is Justice’s second time to switch parties. He was a registered Republican before he switched to the Democratic Party before his run for governor in 2015.
“Jim Justice deceived the voters of West Virginia when he ran as a Democrat eight months ago,” said Democratic Governors Association Executive Director Elizabeth Pearson.
West Virginia GOP Chairman Conrad Lucas said in a statement, however, they are ready to work with Justice.
“We look forward to Governor Justice reflecting the conservative values of our Party and platform,” he said.
Justice, who made his fortune in the coal industry, refused to endorse Hillary Clinton in the general election and has been a vocal supporter of Trump’s backing of West Virginia and coal miners.
Despite Trump’s low approval ratings nationally, he remains popular in West Virginia with an approval rating of 60 percent, according to Gallup. Sixty-nine percent of the state voted for Trump in November, with all 55 counties in West Virginia voting to the Republican.
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