CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice did not debate any of his Republican primary opponents before winning the party’s nomination last Tuesday.
Now, with Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango securing the Democratic Party’s nomination, Justice said he is willing to participate in debates ahead of Election Day in November.
“If we need to have two debates or three debates — maybe not three, but if we need to have two constructive debates, I think that would be great,” Justice said last week on MetroNews “Talkline.”
Salango, for his part, is welcoming all debate opportunities.
“I think the people need to compare and contrast his style versus my style, his ideas versus my ideas, his record versus my record, and we’re going to be able to do that at a debate. And I’d like as many as possible,” he said.
“If I can only get him to do two, we’ll do two. If he’ll do five, I’ll do five.”
Justice ran against former state Commerce Secretary Woody Thrasher and former Delegate Mike Folk, unofficially beating second-place Thrasher by 44.7% of the contest vote.
The primary win marks Justice’s first electoral win as a Republican; he was elected in 2016 as a Democrat.
“For all extensive purposes, my entire life I was a Republican. My parents were rock-solid Republicans. Really close to President Reagan and lots and lots of stuff like that,” he said. “I’ve sure got just conservative rock-solid values, and when you switch, there’s always a situation about where you wonder how long it is going to take for people to embrace and take you as their leader and everything.”
Justice added the primary win is a sign Republicans trust him.
Salango joined the Kanawha County Commission in 2017; he was appointed to the municipal body after Dave Hardy left to head the state Department of Revenue. He is a partner at Preston & Salango, a personal injury law firm in Charleston, and the owner of 304 Tees.
In the primary, Salango defeated activist Stephen Smith — whose West Virginia Can’t Wait movement united populist candidates in various races — and three other candidates.
“I’m going to need every single vote, including those folks who backed him,” Salango said of Smith’s supporters. “I think we just have to make sure that they understand we have to get them out to vote. If they truly want to beat Jim Justice, they have to get out to vote.”
Smith conceded to Salango last Wednesday. The county commissioner said last week on MetroNews “Talkline” that Smith will have to play an important role reaching out to a “solid base.”
“They believed in him because he worked so hard for so long that he has their trust and respect,” Salango said.
Justice said the race with Salango will come to who is the better fit for the office: himself or, as the governor described Salango, “a liberal trial lawyer.”
As for Salango, he is ready to talk about Justice’s record.
“He hasn’t really demonstrated leadership from the time that he got there. He refused to come to work,” he said. “It’s not like we were on, as he suggested, some sort of economic rocket ship ride even before COVID-19. Then COVID-19 came in, and put us in an even deeper hole from an economic standpoint.”
County board of canvassers will meet Monday to review votes, including uncounted absentee ballots postmarked by June 9.