ATHENS, W.Va. — The West Virginia Federation of College Republicans has approved a “no confidence” resolution in Gov. Jim Justice, the organization announced Saturday.
The College Republicans took the vote during their annual convention in Athens.
The resolution calls for Justice to align himself with the Republican Party platform including education reform, right to work, lower taxes and road repairs.
“If the Governor wants the support of College Republicans and our hardworking members, he needs to act like a Republican,” said Jessica Dobrinsky, the Federation’s incoming chair, said in a news release.
The Kanawha County Republican Executive Committee was the first to approve a “no confidence” resolution on Justice. The Harrison County Republican Executive Committee took a similar step last week. The Mineral County GOP group approved a “confidence” resolution regarding the governor. The Fayette and Hancock county Republican executive committees have discussed the situation but have yet to vote.
The college GOP group said Justice can gain its support by being stronger on conservative issues.
The full resolution approved:
WHEREAS, Jim Justice was elected as a Democrat and received substantial support from the Democrat establishment in his campaign for governor in 2016,
WHEREAS, Jim Justice has made it known that – since his change in party affiliation – he has no intention of aligning himself with the Republican platform on key issues of education freedom, workplace freedom and the right to work, the need for low taxes, and maintaining low levels of government spending,
WHEREAS, Jim Justice, during the 2019 Legislative Session, not only harbored positions counter to the party platform on the issue of education freedom, but actively worked to defeat the Republican plan for comprehensive education reform,
WHEREAS, Jim Justice has abdicated his responsibility to defend West Virginia’s right to work law in court – an effort to kill one of the most significant pro-growth legislative victories in decades,
WHEREAS, Jim Justice has been responsible for – as a Republican – a massive increase in gas taxes and DMV fees while vetoing the Special Road Repair Fund, commonly known as “Randy’s Dream,” to repair secondary roads,
WHEREAS, Jim Justice has not governed as a conservative Republican with a deep commitment to moving West Virginia forward and defending our values,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that for the reasons listed above, the West Virginia Federation of College Republicans express NO CONFIDENCE in Jim Justice’s leadership as Governor until progress – from a conservative Republican perspective – is made on the above issues. The Governor can regain our support if such progress is made.