Posted on 03/24/2023 7:13:25 AM PDT by cotton1706
Elated Senate Republicans believe they are on the cusp of landing their highest-profile recruit of the 2024 campaign: West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice.
Justice, a Democrat-turned-Republican with sky-high approval ratings, is increasingly expected to launch a bid for Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) seat after consulting with top party officials in Washington this month, according to a half-dozen GOP senators and aides. A Justice candidacy would notch two big wins for Republicans, breaking their losing streak in recruiting popular governors and reshaping next year’s battleground map.
Republicans privately predict Justice may wait to enter the race until at least next month in order to have a full fundraising quarter. And though the timing is in flux, the GOP would be gobsmacked at this point if he did not run.
He is dropping hints everywhere. He’s put his coal business up for sale to pay off debts and met with National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Steve Daines (R-Mont.) last week. He finished up his state’s legislative session earlier this month, pushing through a tax cut after Manchin helped direct federal funds to the state. And he’s been texting with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), according to two people familiar with Justice's interactions.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
Which means Jim Justice as US Senator will be another Shelley Moore Capito, in other words, a worthless go-along Republican senator who will vote with McConnell/Cornyn/Thune.
No thanks.
They're trying to stop Alex Mooney, who took out RINO January 6th committee proponent David McKinley last year (WV lost a seat in congress due to the census so they were pitted against eachother). And McConnell HATES Republicans that take out RINO's.
52 year-old Mooney would be FAR more conservative than former Democrat 73 year-old Justice.
McConnell will try to get Trump to endorse Justice to thwart Mooney (Trump has endorsed Justice before), but Trump endorsed Mooney over McKinley.
So we'll see what happens.
However McConnell hasn't texted back, and neither did Fetterman, or for that matter Feinstein and Biden. We know why.
Why would he do that?
Don’t want him.
It still amazes me that there are old-time Democrats of the Kennedy brand who still cling to the past remnants of a Party long gone to rot. Maybe it’s hopeful thinking that their old Party can be salvaged, or that there are still pockets of conservatism in the Party where they can feel comfortable. They are deluding themselves.
Is McConnell dead yet?
We need the seat for 12 years not 6. Even a 2nd termer gets stale. Look at all the examples.
Trump will endorse justice as his past endorsements have been safe in red states.
My new standard for 2024 Republican candidates - if you aren't openly outraged by the legal gamesmanship being played against President Trump, then don't count on my vote. That goes for Ron DeSantis, too. Just because he might be running in the primaries against Trump doesn't mean that he can't still be offended by abuse of the legal system. Actually, opposing Trump on some political issues while standing in solidarity with him on the legal abuse would be more the action of a statesman than we can probably expect from a politician.
Trump should stay the hell out. He helped to ruin Pa with his endorsement of Oz.
Buckley rule: The most conservative who can win.
DirtySecret rule: We need the seat for 12 years.
Combine the 2 and you get Justice one term b4 he goes stale or croaks. His announcement just may take the fight out off Mancin. Think so? Same with Giantforte in Mt.
Gov. Justice is too old and has health issues. Rep. Mooney is the one to take down Sen. 49% Manchin.
Isn't that better than one who votes with Schumer and the rest of the putzhead communists?
There’s already been too much Rat infiltration of the GOP, Manchin needs to work to fix his own party.
Having had business dealings with Jim Justice in the past, I have formed an opinion that Justice is a champion for himself in all things. That said, he still could at times be a reliable vote against the worst of progressive legislation.
“Isn’t that better than one who votes with Schumer and the rest of the putzhead communists?”
Well of course. But we’re talking about the primary. I think Manchin will be defeated one way or the other in the general. He snuck by last time because he voted for Kavanaugh.
The bottom line is who will the voters turn out for and vote for? If Justice brings more voters to the table he should be the nominee. It does no good to run pure candidates that get thumped in the general because they don’t appeal to the local electorate. If Mooney brings more votes and appeals to the state than the same goes for him. It’s time to stop the purity test and circular firing squads. That’ how we get Hershel Walker, Dr. Oz, and Kari Lakes. Better a Shelley Moore Capito than a pro Abort dem.
“Trump will endorse justice as his past endorsements have been safe in red states.”
Sadly, you’re probably right. If that happens, it would be just one more idiotic move of Trump endorsing a squish over an actual conservative.
Before the simps and squishes insist that no conservative can possibly win in West Virginia, like they insisted in PA (where it turns out squishes can’t win either), in true blue (proper color usage) West Virginia a good solid conservative like Mooney can and will win over any Democrat.
Unless the GOPe torpedoes him in their rush to send endorsements and $$$$ to the “moderate” challenger — and then backstabs him a la Doug Mastriano & many others in the general after he beats the RINO in the primary.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.