Jim Justice could shake up West Virginia politics with ‘clash of the titans’ 2028 governor run

Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV) is considering a return to the governor’s mansion in a political gamble that could oust a fellow Republican, open his Senate seat, and set off a domino effect across West Virginia politics.

Justice, who served two terms as governor before joining the Senate in 2025, is considering a 2028 primary challenge against his successor, Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R-WV), setting the stage for a potential clash between two of the state’s political heavyweights.

Of course, Justice’s first step is to launch a campaign, a move he appears to be inching toward. He’s broadcast his interest in primarying Morrisey and teased that a decision is likely to come after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

Morrisey was West Virginia attorney general under Justice before becoming his successor as governor. Morrisey has not announced his reelection plans and has largely dodged media questions about Justice’s consideration. But regardless of Justice’s plans, Morrisey is expected to run, according to those involved in state GOP politics. And he’s already amassing a war chest as if he’s made a decision.

“This is clash of the titans,” a West Virginia GOP insider told the Washington Examiner, who was granted anonymity to discuss internal state party dynamics. “Everybody is talking about it. I’d be surprised if [Justice] didn’t” challenge Morrisey, they added.

The conservative Club for Growth has made an early pledge to back Morrisey, who has around $5 million across his campaign accounts or entities supporting him, according to a Morrisey ally.

“I don’t know if [Justice] runs or not … but it is gonna be an absolute brawl,” the Morrisey ally said.

If reelected governor and required to vacate his Senate term, Justice would make an appointment from among three names selected by the state party. A special election would be required within four months of the vacancy taking place. The winner would hold the seat until the next election in 2030.

Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV), the nephew of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and West Virginia Republican Treasurer Larry Pack are seen by Republican insiders as the leading contenders and among the most natural successors. Moore would be interested in the appointment, according to a source familiar with the matter. Capito is slated to be reelected to her third, six-term year term this fall, meaning the family duo would continue serving alongside one another.

Both Moore and Pack have close ties to Justice. Moore served as state treasurer when Justice was governor before they began serving in Congress in 2025. Pack served in Justice’s administration as a senior adviser and acting secretary of revenue. In Moore’s case, Justice would not be able to make an appointment to his open House seat if he moves to the Senate, but the vacancy would trigger another special election.

“It’s not a matter of will somebody run against [Morrisey]. It’s going to be who’s going to run and how many different people will run?” Greg Thomas, a longtime West Virginia GOP operative, told the Washington Examiner. “I think if Justice gets in, it probably clears the field from everybody else.”

Morrisey and Justice are political heavyweights in West Virginia with strong name ID and close ties to President Donald Trump. Republicans without skin in the game see Justice has holding an initial advantage, particularly in the wake of poor polling from two separate state Senate districts showing 45% and 61% of respondents disapproving of Morrisey’s job performance. But they also note a win wouldn’t come easy for either candidate.

From left to right: Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV) speaks to the crowd as protesters gather outside the Supreme Court on Jan. 13, 2026, in Washington, and West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey applauds following his swearing-in at the state capitol in Charleston, West Virginia, on Jan. 13, 2025. (AP Photos/Chris Jackson/Jose Luis Magana)

Justice’s consideration coincides with statements made in Washington that distance himself from the Trump administration and mirror concerns expressed by other Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.

Justice criticized his party last month for having “glossed over” everyday people “out here really hurting” from affordability issues.

“We, as Republicans, can become tone-deaf,” he recently told the Washington Examiner, citing Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland as an example. “I think we, as Republicans, should own it. This is not to say, ‘Well, our president screwed up, or Congress screwed up,’ or whatever it may be. We ought to own it. Period.”

Around the same time, he backpedaled criticism that the Trump administration’s deportation agenda was hurting rural communities amid warnings from the cattle industry about hits to the agriculture labor force. After initially suggesting the administration should “adjust” its immigration enforcement strategy, Justice said he “full stop” supports Trump’s efforts and accused the media of “twisting my words to score political points.”

JIM JUSTICE WALKS BACK CRITICISM OF TRUMP’S ICE OPERATIONS

Justice cited his past successes as governor for fueling his interest and suggested the state was at risk of sliding backward under Morrisey in an interview last month with the Washington Examiner. He stopped short of saying Morrisey was performing poorly.

“I wouldn’t say that at all,” he said, adding the subtle jab that perhaps others were “probably not as happy as I think they ought to be.”

David Sivak contributed to this report.

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