James Conley Justice II (born 27 April 1951) was the Republican Governor of West Virginia from 16 January 2017 to January 2025 (succeeding Earl Ray Tomblin and preceding Patrick Morrisey) and a US Senator from 3 January 2025 (succeeding Joe Manchin).
Biography[]
Jim Justice was born in Charleston, West Virginia in 1951, and he founded Bluestone Farms in 1977; his company soon became the largest grain producer on the East Coast. He also came to own several mining companies, many of which had a history of safety violation and unpaid taxes. In 2015, he switched from being a Republican to a Democrat to run for Governor, and he was known for using colorful metaphors and digs against political opponents. Backed by United Mine Workers, he won the election, but he returned to the Republican Party due to his support for Donald Trump. He was elected to the US Senate in 2024.