CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Evan Jenkins, the former U.S. House of Representatives member and chief justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, has joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as its head of congressional affairs.
The business organization named Jenkins as one of its latest staffers on Tuesday alongside the hiring of David Detweiler as general counsel; Detweiler previously served as executive vice president and general counsel of Volkswagen Group of America Inc.
“As the Chamber enters a new phase of growth, these leaders will bring new experiences and relationships to drive value and get results for American businesses large and small across the country and around the world,” said Suzanne Clark, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s president and CEO.
Jenkins served in the House of Representatives from January 2015 to September 2018, when Gov. Jim Justice appointed him to the state Supreme Court of Appeals. The appointment came after Jenkins made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate, in which he lost to state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey.
Jenkins was elected to the state’s highest court in the November 2018 election. His tenure on the court included one year of service as the court’s chief justice. He resigned from the bench last February to return to practicing law.
“I look forward to listening and working with my former colleagues in Congress on both sides of the aisle to advance the Chamber’s member-led priorities,” Jenkins said in a release. “We sincerely appreciate those policymakers who share our pro-growth agenda and the many business leaders who take time out of their busy schedules to actively engage in our democratic process. Working together, we can help create an economy that supports business growth, prosperity, and more opportunity for every American to reach their maximum potential.”
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released multiple endorsements of Jenkins in Tuesday’s announcement. Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va. — who succeeded Jenkins in the House — stated Jenkins is a “great fit to help lead the government affairs program at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.”
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., posted her congratulations for Jenkins on Twitter.
“It was an honor to serve with you in Congress, and I’m confident you will do a great job in your new role,” she tweeted.
Jenkins will begin his new role on Monday.