The 2016 West Virginia governor’s race undergoes a seismic shift later today when Jim Justice enters the race for the Democratic nomination. The well-known owner of the famed Greenbrier Resort will make the announcement before a large gathering of supporters, friends and family in White Sulphur Springs.
Any strategic discussion of a Justice candidacy always begins with this: He has a lot of money. Forbes estimates his wealth at $1.69 billion. Justice could, if he chooses, write a big personal check to finance most, or even all, of his campaign.
No, the big check book does not guarantee an election-day victory, but as Forrest Gump said about having a lot of money, it’s one less thing to worry about. That kind of money also throws a scare into potential opponents.
However, state Senator Jeff Kessler (D-Marshall) is said to be undeterred in his quest for governor. The Senate Minority Leader established himself during the last Legislative session as a left-center spokesman on a number of issues.
On the Republican side, the Kabuki dance continues with 1st District Congressman David McKinley, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Senate President Bill Cole. Each wants to run for governor, but none wants a three-way Primary Election that would leave all three of their seats open in 2016 and wound the nominee for the General Election.
There continues to be chatter about a “big boys” meeting where McKinley, Morrisey and Cole would sort it out among themselves. That may be easier said than done. Political egos can be stubborn things and each has definitive views about the most important issues facing the state.
However, some resolution should come soon. Cole signaled some impatience last week when he filed pre-candidacy papers, but did not specify what office he’s seeking in 2016. Cole is also worried about sustaining the narrow 18-16 GOP majority in the Senate. If he runs for governor, it opens up his seat.
Meanwhile, Democrat Nick Casey is seriously considering another run against Republican Alex Mooney in West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District. Mooney beat Casey by just 4,932 votes last year (72,619 to 67,687 or 47 percent to 44) to win the open seat. Some 9 percent of the votes (13,932) went to third-party and independent candidates.
Casey says the people encouraging him to run are dissatisfied with Mooney’s representation of the sprawling district. Asked about that, Mooney replied that he’s working hard to fight back “against President Obama’s liberal agenda, particularly his war on coal.”
When learning of Casey’s potential interest in a rematch, the National Republican Congressional Committee launched an immediate attack with a release saying, “Is Nick Casey trying to keep Obama’s legacy alive beyond 2016?”
And that brings us back to the Jim Justice announcement today. As Fox News digital politics editor Chris Stirewalt says, the old Tip O’Neill axiom about all politics being local has been inverted. Now, all politics are national with the major parties and their moneyed donors engaged in personal destruction tactics.
Anyone entering the fray, especially for the first time, is subjecting himself/herself to intense scrutiny and opposition pummeling.