Republican Jim Justice won the West Virginia US Open Senate raceflipping a key Senate seat, Associated Press projects.

Justice, 73, has been governor of West Virginia since 2017. He was elected as a Democrat, but switched to the Republican Party once in operation.

West Virginia Senate Race Results

Who is Jim Justice?

A Raleigh County native, Justice and his family own dozens of businesses and are worth more than $1.5 billion, according to Forbes. He was accused in numerous lawsuits of late payments on millions of dollars he owed in debts to his family’s businesses and fines for unsafe working conditions at his coal mines.

Justice also owns the financially troubled Greenbrier Luxury Hotel and Resort, a 710-room hotel that has hosted U.S. presidents, royalty, NFL teams, PGA Tour golf tournaments and Congressional pensions.

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice speaks on stage with his dog, Babydog, on the second day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum July 16, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Today, he is fighting to prevent the historic hotel from being auctioned off due to unpaid debts. As of August 20, the Justice family had not contributed to the employee health fund in months.

His family also owns the Greenbrier Sporting Club, a private luxury community with a members-only “resort within a resort.” That property was scheduled to be auctioned off this year in an effort to recoup more than $300 million in defaulted business loans from the governor’s family, but a court battle between the Justice family and the bank has delayed that process.

Justice regularly brings Babydog, her four-year-old English bulldog, to public appearances, including during her 2022 State of the State address and her speech at the Republican National Convention in July.

He and his wife Cathy have two children.

The justice’s point of view on the issues

Justice is “rock solid against abortion”.

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022The Justice Department released a statement applauding the ruling that ended the constitutional right to abortion.

“I have said many times that I am a very proud defender of life and steadfast against abortion, and I believe that every human life is a miracle that deserves to be protected,” the statement read. .

A few months later, he signed into law a law banning abortion at all stages of pregnancy, making West Virginia the second state to enact a total ban. He also opposed a proposal by Democratic lawmakers to let voters decide whether abortion should continue to be allowed in the state.

Justice has touted 25 new tax cuts since taking office – including a 4% reduction in income tax starting next year – and believes the key to growth of the economy is to “remove burdensome regulations, support small businesses and reward hard work, not punish it”, according to its campaign website.

Justice said he believes Biden’s economic policies are responsible for inflation and that he supports more oil drilling, coal production and natural gas.

He said he supports new investments in artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and cryptocurrencies as avenues for economic growth. Justice said he would support legislation establishing a “clear regulatory framework” for each sector.

“We cannot continue in the same direction,” declares its Internet platform. “West Virginia workers deserve to keep more of their money and be able to find good-paying jobs.”

Justice has been criticized for underfunding public schools and the state’s foster care system, and advocates for low-income residents say it has failed to address the challenges facing citizens the most needy. During the pandemic, some lawmakers have criticized court awards for people vaccinated against the coronavirus, calling them “wasteful.”

West Virginia has one of the highest poverty rates in the United States. It also lost the highest percentage of residents of any state over the past decade, an exodus that cost it a seat in Congress and continued into Justice’s second term, according to estimates US Census Bureau population figures for 2023.