Alex Mooney, the congressman and candidate for U.S. Senate, has regularly touted endorsements from West Virginia legislators on social media.
Gov. Jim Justice, whose administration works with lawmakers, says he’s not at all worried.
Justice is considering a run for Senate too and might announce relatively soon. The winner could face incumbent Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat, in a matchup that could determine the party in power of a chamber that is almost evenly divided.
The race is already high-profile, competitive and expensive, with national political action committees already jumping in with millions of dollars.
HOPPY KERCHEVAL COMMENTARY: Alex Mooney’s template for a primary victory.
Justice isn’t in yet, but pushed back on Mooney’s early activities.
“I’m sure that if I decide to run for the U.S. Senate there’ll be a lot of legislators that will jump on board with me,” Justice said today in response to a MetroNews question.
Mooney announced a run for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate last November, lining up to challenge incumbent Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat. Mooney has represented West Virginia communities in Congress since 2015.
Before moving to Charles Town in the Eastern Panhandle, Mooney served in the Maryland State Senate until 2010 and was chairman of the Maryland Republican Party from 2010 to 2013.
Justice emphasized his potential competitor’s Maryland history.
“I’m glad that some of our legislators know that Alex Mooney is somewhere remotely connected to West Virginia,” Justice said. “I mean, who in the world in the State of West Virginia knows that Alex Mooney is a West Virginian. I mean, the truth of the matter is, Alex Mooney is from Maryland and absolutely, teatotally in every way connected to Maryland.
“He’s in the U.S. Congress and at the end of the day, I’ll promise you from Clarksburg south nobody’s hardly seen him. I’ve seen him one time.”
In response to the governor’s comments, the Mooney campaign provided dates and photographs of prior meetings with the congressman and Justice — an October 2018 photograph of the two together, a January 2020 photograph of the governor and West Virginia’s congressional representatives, August 2020 photographs with a group meeting Dr. Debra Birx and a 2020 event with then-Vice President Mike Pence.
“Justice has met with Mooney multiple times, appeared on stage with him,” said John Findlay, campaign manager for Mooney. “I just think the governor has lost his edge. He keeps saying ‘I’ve only met him once.'”
Mooney’s campaign says legislative endorsements so far include 23 state Delegates, 5 state Senators and Treasurer Riley Moore. The Mooney campaign has been rolling out statements from the endorsements on Twitter.
Some of the most recent ones include Delegate Chuck Horst, R-Berkeley, who publicly said “I am proud to endorse Alex Mooney for U.S. Senator.” Senator Rollan Roberts, R-Raleigh, said of Mooney, “I fully endorse his candidacy for U.S. Senate.”
Delegate Chris Pritt, R-Kanawha, was quoted as commenting, “Congressman Mooney has a proven, principled, pro-liberty voting record. He will lead the conservative change we need in the Senate. I am proud to endorse his campaign!”
Mooney’s campaign said endorsements like those are being made by elected officials from around the state because they are familiar with Mooney’s track record.
“The endorsements are because we’re got a strong showing across the state, and they’re attracted to a conservative record,” Findlay said in a telephone interview.
He added, “They know him, they know us, and they’re endorsing us. I think that speaks volumes about what they know about the governor and what they know about us.”
Justice, a longtime Lewisburg resident, owner of The Greenbrier and high school girls basketball coach, suggested otherwise about Mooney.
“Listen, I don’t care. I don’t care what maybe someone that’s having a feeling about Alex Mooney and decides they want to support Alex Mooney, more power to them,” Justice said. “But I’m going to stay rock solid with the people of West Virginia, and I think the last thing on earth I need to be concerned about is Alex Mooney.”
At the conclusion of the briefing, Justice returned on his own to the topic.
“I’m really glad that there were — and I think you named three or four legislators who were supportive of Alex Mooney. That means now that he’s up to seven votes in the state, and I’m hoping he’s going to get more than that and make this thing more fun if I decide to run.”