Former President Trump Endorses West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice in Senate Primary

Former President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind West Virginia Governor Jim Justice in the state’s Republican Senate primary, signaling a continued alignment with Senate GOP leaders. Trump’s endorsement of Justice, a Democrat-turned-Republican, comes as the party aims to avoid the pitfalls of the 2022 midterms.

In a Truth Social post, Trump praised Justice for his stance on border security, military and veterans support, clean coal and energy dominance, economic policies, inflation control, and Second Amendment protection. Trump expressed confidence that Justice would make a great United States Senator and offered his complete endorsement.

Justice is facing off against Rep. Alex Mooney in the primary, with the conservative Club for Growth backing Mooney. National Republicans are firmly behind Justice, viewing him as the more formidable candidate to challenge Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in the deep-red state.

The race will also test the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s new strategy of picking sides in primaries, as the Club for Growth plans to challenge candidates they deem insufficiently conservative on fiscal issues. Trump’s endorsement could be crucial in a state he won by nearly 40 points in 2020.

Manchin, who has significant cash reserves, is expected to face a tough reelection battle. Justice, who announced his Senate candidacy in April, has focused his criticism on the Biden administration and conservative issues. Mooney, a five-term member of the House and member of the hard-line Freedom Caucus, is also vying for the Senate seat.

The primary race in West Virginia is heating up, with Trump’s endorsement adding a new dynamic to the competition. Stay tuned for more updates on this closely watched Senate race.