Washington Jim Justice, the new Republican senator from West Virginia, is already a sight to behold in the Capitol. He is six feet seven inches tall, rides a bright red mobility scooter, and is always accompanied by his 62-pound bulldog, Babydog.
However, unlike his predecessor, don’t count on him to begin his tenure in Washington as a crucial swing vote.
Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat who later became an independent, was one of the most powerful and erratic senators before Justice took his seat. Manchin was a nonpartisan negotiator who helped pass important laws like the Inflation Reduction Act, which appropriated funds for projects in his state, but he also frequently irritated his party by splitting with Democrats over important issues.
Justice is currently more likely to follow his party leader’s lead, who carried West Virginia by more than 40 points in November.
Justice stated that President Donald Trump will ultimately make the best choice.
Although he called Trump a decent man who cares about the American people and a personal friend, he was categorical that he would not support everything Trump wanted to achieve and stated that he would examine his agenda piece by piece.
Being a rubber stamp is not why I came here. You could simply persuade Babydog to vote consistently if that’s what you wanted. on an interview, Justice indicated the drooly sidekick sitting on a chair beside him. On the other hand, because I hold conservative principles, I will be quite supportive.
He supported the Trump administration’s broad freeze on both domestic and foreign aid, the latter of which may have an impact on his state, which is among the poorest in the nation.
He added that West Virginians are not perplexed by the halted programs and that they trust and support Trump, who received 70% of the vote in the November election. “The way you tackle a problem is first, you freeze everything, you stop everything for a time period where you can really get your hands around it and make the right decisions,” he said.
Do you genuinely think that President Trump will stop providing children with free lunches? No way. He contended that there is no possibility.
Justice remarked, “I really am a commonsense guy, all about reason and logic.” I will always treat both sides of the aisle with respect. I’ll be the one who firmly feels that, in the end, Washington needs what I’m discussing in a lot of ways.
After winning the governorship as a Democrat in 2016, Justice switched parties the next year. He was well-known as the heir to the Bluestone coal company in West Virginia prior to his eight years as governor. He ran for the Senate on a platform of increasing U.S. energy production.
He acknowledged that Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China could have a detrimental effect on West Virginia, where coal and petroleum are the leading exports, but asserted that energy is our best defense mechanism.
After 2024, the Senate lost some of its most well-known frequent aisle-crossers, including Manchin and other moderate dealmakers like Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Mitt Romney of Utah. Justice stated on Tuesday that he would have been happy to serve as governor of West Virginia for ten more terms if he could have lived that long, despite the fact the Republican leadership had pushed him to run for Manchin’s seat.
Trump has certain ideas that can cause problems at home. West Virginia has one of the highest rates of Medicare beneficiaries in the nation, and the state’s aging population may be severely hampered by possible entitlement reductions to fund border security and tax cuts.
According to Justice, he does not think that Social Security and Medicare are actually going to be slashed.
“I firmly believe that cutting your way out of a problem is nearly impossible,” he remarked. I don’t believe that individuals will ever be able to completely cut back on items that they rely on.
Justice responded, “We’ll see,” when asked if he would vote against cuts to programs that his constituents depend on.
He went on to say, “I’m not there if we’re just cutting in the bone to cut in the bone.” But I’m all with it if we’re just getting rid of rubbish.
With West Virginia receiving millions from the bills Manchin won, Trump’s executive orders to halt the distribution of monies under the Biden-era Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act may also have far-reaching effects.
Justice introduced ARCH2, a hydrogen energy hub, while serving as governor. The Inflation Reduction Act provided his state with a $925 million federal investment. It is anticipated that the Appalachian center will create 18,000 jobs throughout the state.
Trump has also suggested repealing the entire legislation, but Justice, who stated that he supports all energy sources, stated: I have faith that President Trump will take the appropriate actions.
On the chess board, he will make the correct moves, but we must allow him some time to adjust. “If the target is moving, you can’t get your arms around it,” he remarked.
After less than two weeks in the Senate, Justice has already skipped two votes, both on amendments pertaining to the Laken Riley Act. Justice attributed his absences to his lack of knowledge about the votes and his inexperience in Washington.
I suppose we were fresh to what we were doing here, which is why I missed the votes. It’s difficult to believe that none of my employees knew the votes were going to take place, else I would have been present, you know. “I didn’t know,” he said.
Justice’s attendance problems are not new. He was sued for violating the state constitution by refusing to live in Charleston, the state capital, while he was governor.
According to Justice, receiving a gold star for flawless attendance at his new work is not something he is interested in. He stated that he is instead concentrating on his state’s outcomes.
I don’t sit in Charleston and simply accumulate gold stars. I m out with the people, because I believe the people are what need me more than anything, he said.
You know, I love West Virginia and our people more than common sense, but I’m a patriot at heart. I probably don’t need a hot tip, the next invitation to the Oval Office, a spectacular party, or anything else related. Nothing is something I want for myself. He went on.
Justice, 73, committed to serve out his full term and even raised the possibility of running for re-election: I m going to do it. As long as the good Lord allows me to be here, you know.
As for Babydog, Justice doesn t plan to introduce legislation that would make it possible for the 5-year-old bulldog, who regularly eats the same meals he does (including chicken nuggets and steak and egg biscuits), to join him on the Senate floor as he casts his votes.
According to Justice, Babydog adores everyone. It doesn t matter if you re Black or white or rich or poor God forbid, a Republican or Democrat she loves everybody.