Democrat Jim Justice (left) and Republican Bill Cole, the two leading candidates for West Virginia governor, make their cases Thursday at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s annual business summit at The Greenbrier resort, which Justice owns, in White Sulphur Springs.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — The two major-party candidates for governor squared off at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s annual conference Thursday, as both sought to impress the state’s largest corporations and business leaders.
In separate speeches, Republican Bill Cole and Democrat Jim Justice tried to convince the large crowd of industry executives, lobbyists and lawmakers that they are the more pro-business candidate.
Cole and Justice reiterated their claims that they will bring back coal mining, and emphasized their personal experience as business owners.
Both are well connected to the chamber and the Mountain State’s corporate leaders.
Cole is the owner of one of the state’s largest auto dealerships and has been endorsed by three local chapters of the state chamber.
Justice is considered the wealthiest man in West Virginia and has deep ties to the coal industry. The chamber’s conference was hosted, as it is every year, at the historic Greenbrier resort, which Justice owns.
“For crying out loud guys, I’ve got 102 businesses…
