West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin (D) may have finally met his match.
Manchin, a moderate Democrat who’s endeared himself to West Virigina’s increasingly conservative electorate, appears to be on the cusp of facing his most difficult reelection yet against the state’s popular incumbent governor, Jim Justice.
Justice is set to make an announcement tonight at the famed Greenbrier resort with his beloved canine “Babydog,” by his side.
West Virginia’s MetroNews has more on the upcoming announcement:
That will all be streamed to a YouTube Channel already labeled as being operated by “Jim Justice for U.S. Senate Inc.”
Justice is a two-term governor, first elected to that office in 2016 as a Democrat and then switching to become a Republican in 2017. His family-owned businesses include coal holdings, agriculture properties, The Greenbrier resort and other hospitality enterprises. He is also the longtime girls basketball coach at Greenbrier East High School.
Up against a term limit as governor, Justice is now turning his sights on a new challenge: a campaign for Senate.
“If I end up in D.C. I promise you you’ll never see a bigger cheerleader for West Virginia than I’ve been all my life,” Justice said during a broad-ranging briefing on Wednesday.
Political observers had expected a run by Justice, who previously told CBS News he was confident he could defeat Manchin.
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