Opinion Of Jim Justice

[S019]

FF

[Progressive Pessimist]

Like any other West Virginia Republican, a horrible person.

[Fuzzy Bear]

HP. He's a Manchinite Democrat pretending to be a Republican because "West Virginny luvs Trump".

Not really.  He was always a Republican until 2015, when he switched to the Democrats in order to run for Governor.  Even then, he did not endorse the Democratic National Ticket.

Justice was a Democrat of convenience.  The Democrats needed a candidate and the GOP had their own favored candidate that wasn't Justice.  It was like the late Sen. Ed Zorinsky (D-NE).  Zorinsky was a lifelong Republican who was Omaha Mayor and who sought Nebraska's "Omaha" Senate seat in 1976.  The GOP, however, let it be known that their favored candidate was Rep. John McCollister (R-Omaha).  Zorinsky then switched to the Democrats and ran as a Democrat.  He compiled a rather conservative record in the Senate and was never a strong Democratic partisan, but he remained a Democrat until his sudden death in 1988, despite rumors that he would return to the GOP.  Justice, I suppose, never felt comfortable as a Democrat, even a conservative one.  Now, of course, he has to deal with the fact that a lot of Republicans don't like him, and he may have a strong primary challenge, but he is an incumbent GOP Governor who has embraced Trump, so . . .

[Wazza [INACTIVE]]

HP. He's a Manchinite Democrat pretending to be a Republican because "West Virginny luvs Trump".

Not really.  He was always a Republican until 2015, when he switched to the Democrats in order to run for Governor.  Even then, he did not endorse the Democratic National Ticket.

Justice was a Democrat of convenience.  The Democrats needed a candidate and the GOP had their own favored candidate that wasn't Justice.  It was like the late Sen. Ed Zorinsky (D-NE).  Zorinsky was a lifelong Republican who was Omaha Mayor and who sought Nebraska's "Omaha" Senate seat in 1976.  The GOP, however, let it be known that their favored candidate was Rep. John McCollister (R-Omaha).  Zorinsky then switched to the Democrats and ran as a Democrat.  He compiled a rather conservative record in the Senate and was never a strong Democratic partisan, but he remained a Democrat until his sudden death in 1988, despite rumors that he would return to the GOP.  Justice, I suppose, never felt comfortable as a Democrat, even a conservative one.  Now, of course, he has to deal with the fact that a lot of Republicans don't like him, and he may have a strong primary challenge, but he is an incumbent GOP Governor who has embraced Trump, so . . .

Its not just because he ran as a Democrat. He has a 35% from the Cato Institute on fiscal conservatism. A 0% from the NRA. 0% From the Centre for Education Reform, a centrist rating from OnTheIssues (and thats not from social issues). He vetoed a bill that reduces state spending, he raised business, sales and fuel taxes. This is despite a Republican controlled legislature in a heavily Republican state. Yet despite this he poses as a conservative and is apart of a party which is very much at odds with his economic views.

[Mr. Smith]

HP. He's a Manchinite Democrat pretending to be a Republican because "West Virginny luvs Trump".

Not really.  He was always a Republican until 2015, when he switched to the Democrats in order to run for Governor.  Even then, he did not endorse the Democratic National Ticket.

Justice was a Democrat of convenience.  The Democrats needed a candidate and the GOP had their own favored candidate that wasn't Justice.  It was like the late Sen. Ed Zorinsky (D-NE).  Zorinsky was a lifelong Republican who was Omaha Mayor and who sought Nebraska's "Omaha" Senate seat in 1976.  The GOP, however, let it be known that their favored candidate was Rep. John McCollister (R-Omaha).  Zorinsky then switched to the Democrats and ran as a Democrat.  He compiled a rather conservative record in the Senate and was never a strong Democratic partisan, but he remained a Democrat until his sudden death in 1988, despite rumors that he would return to the GOP.  Justice, I suppose, never felt comfortable as a Democrat, even a conservative one.  Now, of course, he has to deal with the fact that a lot of Republicans don't like him, and he may have a strong primary challenge, but he is an incumbent GOP Governor who has embraced Trump, so . . .

Its not just because he ran as a Democrat. He has a 35% from the Cato Institute on fiscal conservatism. A 0% from the NRA. 0% From the Centre for Education Reform, a centrist rating from OnTheIssues (and thats not from social issues). He vetoed a bill that reduces state spending, he raised business, sales and fuel taxes. This is despite a Republican controlled legislature in a heavily Republican state. Yet despite this he poses as a conservative and is apart of a party which is very much at odds with his economic views.

It's like I said, still better than the vast majority of the GOP governors.