Gov. Jim Justice launches W.Va. Senate bid, setting up potential ‘nailbiter’ with Joe Manchin

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice introduced a Senate marketing campaign on Thursday afternoon, setting up a potential problem to incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who has now not but mentioned if he will run for reelection.

If Justice and Manchin square-off subsequent yr, the result may just decide the steadiness of energy within the Senate, which is lately held by means of Democrats, 51-49.

Justice introduced his Senate bid on the Greenbriar, a West Virginia luxurious hotel that he owns.

He will sign up for Rep. Alex Mooney within the GOP number one.

In a speech, Justice touted his stances on a slate of tradition warfare problems, insisting citizens can accept as true with him after two phrases as governor.

“You’ve seen exactly where I stand for life. You’ve seen it where we’ve absolutely crafted laws against abortion in this state that are the toughest of the toughest. You’ve seen how I stand for our kids and education and your choice: your choice where your kid’s going to go to school, your choice about absolutely how your kid is educated, your choice about how parents should participate in children’s education,” he mentioned. “You have seen it. You have seen where I stand on the Second Amendment.”

Justice additionally took intention at President Joe Biden, reputedly swiping at Biden’s age, a favourite speaking level amongst Republicans. (Biden, at 80, is the oldest-ever president. Justice grew to become 72 on Thursday.)

“We’ve got real challenges in front of us, do we not? Let’s just stop, just one second, and talk just one second about President Biden and what’s going on in that administration. Could there possibly be anybody that has reason and logic about them that can say we’re going in the right path? You’ve got a man, and I hate to say this because I am sad for him — if he were my dad, there’s no way on earth I could have him continue on as being our president,” Justice mentioned.

“This nation needs us as Republicans to win.”

Manchin’s seat is on the most sensible of Senate Republicans’ goal record, alongside with Democratic-held seats in Montana and Ohio, and Justice used to be a most sensible recruit for birthday party leaders. Sources acquainted with GOP outreach advised ABC News that each Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, each spoke with Justice to inspire him to run.

Manchin has mentioned he would possibly not come to a decision till December whether or not or now not he will run for reelection, retire and even run for president. However, he is believed to be the one Democrat who can realistically retain the Senate seat — given his deep ties to West Virginia and historical past of luck there, even because the state an increasing number of favors Republicans and two times voted for Donald Trump by means of yawning margins.

Manchin is among the maximum centrist Democrats in Congress and has been crucial of President Joe Biden, even threatening to repeal one in all his signature items of regulation, the Inflation Reduction Act, over a dispute about using tax credit. Manchin has greater than $9 million within the financial institution sooner than he begins campaigning in earnest, if he chooses to run.

“I am laser focused on doing the job West Virginians elected me to do — lowering healthcare costs, protecting Social Security and Medicare, shoring up American energy security and getting our fiscal house in order,” he mentioned in a remark on Tuesday, previous to Justice’s announcement. “But make no mistake, I will win any race I enter.”

Manchin’s allies echoed his self assurance, both towards Justice, who switched events from being a Democrat all through a marketing campaign rally with then-President Trump in 2017, not up to a yr after being elected governor — a transfer Manchin lambasted on the time — or Mooney, a firebrand who has confronted carpetbagger assaults over his transferring from Maryland.

“All Joe Manchin knows how to do is win,” Jonathan Kott, a lobbyist and previous most sensible Manchin aide, advised ABC News.

And an adviser to Manchin, who requested to not be quoted by means of title, mentioned, “Justice and Mooney face a long election death match and while they are busy focused on petty primary politics, Manchin will focus on doing what is right for West Virginia and the country. … As for anyone who underestimates Manchin, regardless of the state or national race he enters, my only response is keep doing so — they will find out the hard way.”

Still, Justice’s announcement marks a coup for McConnell and Daines, who’ve voiced frustration over “candidate quality” problems within the 2022 midterms that they urged value them winnable Senate seats.

McConnell aggressively however unsuccessfully sought to recruit fashionable Republican governors to run for Senate in Arizona, Maryland and New Hampshire. Instead, much less skilled and extra arguable applicants ended up dropping key races, together with Blake Masters in Arizona and Herschel Walker in Georgia.

To achieve a potential head-to-head with Manchin, Justice will first need to defeat Mooney within the GOP number one, who has swiped on the two-term governor over his previous birthday party transfer.

“You want a proven conservative, I’m your guy. I have a voting record you can look at. You want someone who’s more of a liberal Republican, there’s Jim Justice,” Mooney mentioned on MetroNews’ “Topline” program.

Both Justice and Mooney are more likely to leverage their ties to Trump and a flood of sources.

Justice, a coal multi-millionaire, is independently rich and may just pour thousands and thousands into his bid. Mooney, in the meantime, has the backing of the anti-tax Club for Growth.

The Senate Leadership Fund, the distinguished tremendous PAC aligned with McConnell, put out inner polling previous this yr appearing Manchin dropping to Justice however beating Mooney in a number one, an early sign of muscular involvement to return from the gang. Meanwhile, the Club for Growth has already dedicated $10 million to beef up Mooney.

“West Virginia voters want a principled conservative like Alex Mooney who will fight the out-of-control spending and woke policies coming from Washington. The fact is Jim Justice is Mitch McConnell’s handpicked candidate, and would support the reckless spending that Manchin voted for and more,” Club for Growth Action President David McIntosh mentioned in a remark.

Democrats are banking at the GOP number one drawing blood from whoever in the end wins the nomination.

“Whichever candidate manages to hobble out of their intraparty battle will be damaged and out of step with the voters who will decide the general election,” mentioned Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson Amanda Sherman Baity.

Still, whoever the nominee is could have a hefty partisan merit in West Virginia, the place the Democratic Party out of doors of Manchin is just about nonexistent.

When requested about how Manchin would stack up towards Justice, former Rep. Nick Rahall, a surrogate all through Manchin’s 2018 marketing campaign, texted ABC News that the race “would be a nailbiter.”