Who was the alpha dog who decided an image of the governor’s beloved pet should be on a taxpayer-funded mural meant to represent West Virginia’s culture and history?
Randall Reid-Smith, secretary for Arts, Culture and History, led the decision-making process and thinks it was the right call.
“People will always remember Babydog, and so that is creating history,” Reid-Smith said today on MetroNews’ “Talkline.”
Reid-Smith said the mural project was approved by the Capitol Building Commission more than a decade ago. More recently, the secretary said, an ad hoc committee of some of the governor’s top employees looked at drafts of the mural, concluded there should be more representation of wildlife and determined that a good addition would be an image of the governor’s well-known dog.
“I would love to take all the credit, but we had a committee and we were looking at the first renderings of the murals,” Reid-Smith said, describing some changes that were made after first drafts of the murals were produced.
On a scene depicting Seneca Rocks, “there was no wildlife. It was an outdoor scene, and so we were talking about what we could put there. So we wanted the elk because of the elk initiative. The cardinal. And then they said a dog — and all of us at the same time said ‘Babydog,’ and so that’s how it came about.”
Babydog is the governor’s constant companion and regular sidekick at public and political events. The English bulldog is a big draw with West Virginians and has a national profile as Justice runs for U.S. Senate.
The dog’s likeness was not apparent when draft versions were made public as the governor announced on April 3 that eight new murals would be placed in the Capitol Rotunda. The concept, as explained by the Justice administration, was to continue the vision of famed Capitol architect Cass Gilbert.
HOPPY KERCHEVAL: Babydog and Cass Gilbert
The governor this week said he had no idea his own dog’s likeness would be in the mural.
“To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t a part of that,” Justice said. “Those murals had been talked about for decades and we finally got ’em done. I think the whole process was — and I think Randall can better explain all this — because I was just as shocked as anybody.”
Several times over the past few months, Reid-Smith has described context of Gilbert’s unfinished vision for the Capitol, suggesting features like murals could not be completed originally because of their cost.
Today, Reid-Smith said the Capitol Building Commission — the appointed board that reviews and approves or rejects all plans for substantial physical changes to the grounds and buildings of the State Capitol complex — with consideration beginning in 2009 and approval on April 14, 2010.
“We had a group of five people then, and then the money went away. So we couldn’t do it then,” Reid-Smith said. “So about two years ago, I said to the governor, ‘Eighteen governors, 19 if you count Underwood, who was governor twice, couldn’t get this done’ — and he was all in with the money.”
Reid-Smith did not describe further involvement of the Capitol Building Commission, which now has different members. The dog whose likeness is portrayed was born in 2019, a decade after the Capitol Building Commission provided initial approval of the mural project.
The secretary said a different group of executive branch representatives reviewed the specific mural scenes: himself, state Museums Director Charles Morris, Administration Secretary Mark Scott, senior adviser Ann Urling and Rebecca Blaine, director of intergovernmental affairs.
“There was unanimity that we should have a dog in it, and then we all thought about Babydog,” Reid-Smith said today.
There is no indication that group had meetings open to the public.
West Virginia contracted with John Canning Company to perform the mural work. Four more murals are still to be completed by November. State records show payments this year to John Canning Company so far amount to $348,098 through the state Division of Culture and History for building improvements.
The first four murals, including the Seneca Rocks scene with Babydog, were dedicated last Thursday during the annual observance of West Virginia Day.
“I think it’s great. What I like about it is it brings so much attention to the murals. Everybody’s gonna come to see them,” Reid-Smith said. “On Thursday, everybody loved ’em. Not one negative word. And everybody thinks it’s great. I’ve heard from so many people.
“You know, Babydog’s brought a lot of happiness, a lot of joy to our state in troubling times. And if you go anywhere where Babydog is, everybody goes wild.”
Babydog has gained a significant public profile during the past several years of the Justice administration. The governor began appearing regularly with the dog during the covid-19 pandemic and named a vaccination sweepstakes “Dog it for Babydog” to encourage participation. West Virginia’s official 2022 Christmas ornament featured Babydog. Right now, there is a state tourism promotion called “Babydog’s Bucket List,” meant to encourage travel to West Virginia attractions.
Visitors to The Greenbrier, the historic resort owned by Justice and his family, may shop for pet supplies at “Babydog Boutique.”
The dog also plays a political role. Justice concluded his 2022 state of the state address by pushing back on perceived criticism by Hollywood entertainer Bette Midler, lifted his bulldog up and around and suggested naysayers should “kiss her hiney.” Justice’s official campaign store for his ongoing U.S. Senate run features an “Official Babydog Store,” with swag like mugs and tshirts available for 20 bucks or so.
The murals were characterized months ago as a project to “depict iconic state scenes and landmarks.”
The arts secretary today said the well-known dog meets that description.
“I’m very happy that this was done,” Reid-Smith said. “And yes, I think it’s appropriate because Babydog is history. And people will see this in 20, 30 years and that will be a story that they can talk about.”
