By Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — His critics said he won’t show up for West Virginians. But Mountain Staters showed up for Gov. Jim Justice Tuesday night.
The two-term governor routed his opposition Tuesday to secure a U.S. Senate seat, according to election night race projections by The Associated Press and other outlets moments after polls closed at 7:30 p.m.
Justice drew 70.3% of the vote, compared to Democratic Party nominee Glenn Elliott’s 26.1% and Libertarian hopeful David Moran’s 3.7%, with 43 of 55 counties reporting, as of 11:50 p.m. Tuesday.
In Kanawha County, Justice outran Elliott by 18 points, garnering 57.9% of the vote with 41,412 tallies to Elliott’s 39.1% (28,003 votes).
Justice, 73, of Lewisburg, will take the seat of the Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., who did not seek reelection. Justice will join Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., to give West Virginia two Republicans in the Senate for the first time since 1958.
