CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jim Justice has spoken with voters in nearly two dozen counties over the last two weeks about his plans for West Virginia, a campaign spokesman said.
“That’s Jim doing what he loves to do,” campaign consultant Larry Puccio said Tuesday on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Puccio defended Justice’s promises of taking the state’s economy on a rocket ride to create jobs. He told “Talkline” Host Hoppy Kercheval Justice has not overpromised.
“Do you think Greenbrier County thinks he’s taken them on a rocket ride when (he saved The Greenbrier Resort), brought in the New Orleans Saints, the PGA, pro basketball teams and on and on?”
Puccio downplayed criticism that Justice’s success is solely hooked to his personal wealth. Justice has other qualities that cause people to listen, Puccio said.
“There’s a lot of people in the country who could write a big check but they couldn’t get the New Orleans Saints to come to West Virginia. They couldn’t get the PGA,” Puccio said. “This man has invested in our state but he’s been able to do great things. He thinks big. He thinks on a different level.”
Justice said in the Oct. 4 gubernatorial debate that his administration would find ways to deliver prosperity and jobs to Mountain State residents.
“This job is not that hard,” Justice said. “You just have to have someone who can go out and sell our state.”
Puccio agreed during his appearance on “Talkline” Tuesday.
“I think Jim Justice is going to put us on the road to success when it comes to creating jobs,” Puccio said. “I think he understands it. I think he deals with it in a big way. If we were a football team and we could go out and recruit a Jim Justice as our football coach we would be so excited.”
Organizers of the Democratic Party and union-based ‘working family’ rallies set for this weekend announced Tuesday that Justice is scheduled to attend.
Early voting for the Nov. 8 Primary Election begins Wednesday across the state.