CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Ahead of a forum in Charleston on Saturday featuring all three Democrat gubernatorial candidates, Jim Justice is embracing his role as the race’s black sheep.
“I think this day and time we have got to have a job creator in our state. We’ve had too many politicians, and politicians are not going to take us where we need to go,” Justice said at a campaign event at the Mariott in downtown Charleston Thursday night.
The billonaire Greenbrier owner, who has yet to take the stage with his rivals Sen. Minority Leader Jeff Kessler and former U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin, said he was looking forward to Saturday’s event.
“I surely hope it will go well. I welcome the opportunity to be able to be with Booth and Jeff,” he said. “I feel like they’re good people and we do have a very, very different diverse background from one another.”
Justice presented a “jobs vision” plan at his event which focused on not giving up on the energy sector, while using tourism and agriculture to grow the economy. Justice said he was tired of seeing West Virginia struggle and dragged through the mud.
“I’ve got real passion, and I don’t like the fact that our teachers are underpaid. I don’t like the fact that we have coal miners that are sitting, and all they want to do is get their dinner bucket and go to work and they can’t do it,” Justice said. “And I don’t like the fact that people on the outside are telling bad jokes about us because we’re West Virginians.”
Justice pointed out that even when coal was booming, West Virginia still struggled, ranking last in many areas.
“We’ve got to have more than just coal. We deserve more than just coal,” he said. “There’s so many opportunities within our state and it’s just standing there ripe and ready for the taking. We’ve got to reach out and grab it.”
Justice insisted he wasn’t concerned about any possible mudslinging in advance of the May 10 primary, and wasn’t worried about Goodwin or Kessler closing the gap on him.
“I am involved in everything from agriculture, to tourism, to education, to coal; oil, gas, timber, medicine; whatever,” he said. “I know how to create jobs. How many jobs have they created?”.
Justice’s event Thursday night was attended by former state Gov. Gaston Caperton and former WVU football coach Don Nehlen, as well as Kanawha County Commissioner Dave Hardy.
Saturday’s forum will take place at the Charleston Civic Center at 11 a.m. It’s expected to be the only time all three Democrat candidates will be on the stage before primary day.