Gov. Jim Justice indicated he’s open to continuing his responsibilities as a high school basketball coach even if he is elected to serve in the U.S. Senate.
“I guess we’ll see, won’t we,” Justice said in response to a MetroNews question during a state news briefing today.
Justice has continued to serve as head basketball coach for the girls team at Greenbrier East High School during his full two terms as governor. The regular season starts next Tuesday at Oak Hill High School.
Meanwhile, he is also running a high-profile campaign for U.S. Senate in a race where the incumbent, Democrat Joe Manchin, has opted against running again.
Polls have consistently shown Justice, who was courted by Senate Republican leadership, as a favorite to win. The seat opens up Jan. 3, 2025.
So if Justice were to win the Senate race, his congressional duties would begin in the middle of the 2024-25 season, which could conclude with the state tournament in early March.
Justice noted that there are a lot of variables between now and then, but he also drew up a play for himself that wouldn’t rule out doing both.
“We’ve got an election to win. I think we’ll win. I think we’ll win going away. We’ll step back and see what time requirements and everything. I do have the ability to come and go very quickly, from that standpoint,” he said.
Justice has taken some criticism over the years about his time management, balancing chief executive duties along with head ball coach. That issue was rekindled two years ago when the governor mounted a passionate effort to also be boys basketball coach at the same high school.
“I walked in the door and everybody says ‘You can’t do that, you can’t do this, you can’t do that,’ and I challenge you every day to just find something that I’ve missed. The successes are miles and miles long. Sure, I guess we’ve stubbed our toe here and there. But at the same time, I don’t go on vacation; I drive myself,” he said.
“People might think, ‘Lord have mercy, how does all that happen’ and everything. But I gain an awful lot being with those kids. And I challenge over and over and over any public servant, go be with the kids. Take a little time and be with the kids. I mean, it’s not easy. It’s not easy doing that. But at the same time, I truly believe that we gain a lot and those kids really need us.”
The Senate does take breaks so that members can go home, but calendars that have already come out for 2024 show the chamber in session most days in the months that make up basketball season.
Still, Justice said he’s not ready to say this is his last season coaching basketball.
“You’re not going to have one ounce of me that says ‘I’m just going to throw the towel in on the kids and everything; this is my last season and everything.’ We’ll see. We’ll see.”