CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Patrick Morrisey said he’s not backing down from endorsing candidates in the last few days of campaigning before next Tuesday’s primary election.
Morrisey, taking questions from reporters after a ceremonial bill signing Wednesday at the capitol, said he’s been willing to speak up.
“If there’s a superior candidate West Virginians deserve to have that person in place,” Morrisey sad.
Morrisey said he’s speaking out like others.
“I am very comfortable exercising my First Amendment rights the same way that Senator Capito (U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito) does, the same way that Senator Tom Takubo does, the same way that they are raising significant monies to help their cause, I won’t to make sure I fight for West Virginia’s future and I’m not going to be deterred on that.”
Information from the Secretary of State’s Office show that seven Political Action Committees have spent more than $4.6 million in West Virginia in this election cycle.
Reporter Steven Allen Adams asked Morrisey if he was concerned about the endorsements backfiring and impacting his agendas in future legislative session.
“The most important thing that I’m worrying about is how we lift West Virginia up,” Morrisey said. “How we improve out standard of living, how we drive educational attainment forward, how we have the economic success that we’ve supposedly been fighting for—I think we need to do better.”
Morrisey said he’s mostly backing incumbents in the GOP primary for state Senate. He’s been working against Senators Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, and Vince Deeds, R-Greenbrier. Morrisey has also endorsed the primary challenger of House Finance Committee Chairman Vernon Criss, R-Wood.
“It’s no secret to the fact that we had some pieces of legislation killed in the House Finance Committee, I don’t think that’s good for the State of West Virginia,” Morrisey said. “We can do much better in the House Finance Committee.”
Morrisey said West Virginia cannot settle for second best.
“We have to do this based on policy, based on what’s best for the state and that’s why you see me engaging. I want our state to thrive and I’m not ever going to back down,” Morrisey said.