Del. Phil Isner: West Virginia Legislature session begins with ‘weird mood’

Delegate Phil Isner, D-Randolph, said the first week in Charleston came with an unusual mood from state law makers, adding he believes members of the Legislature are staying “cautiously optimistic” after Gov. Jim Justice’s switch from being a Democrat to a Republican last year.

“It’s an unusual mood after the governor’s switch of parties, I think that probably everybody is cautiously optimistic, but it’s a weird mood with such a major shift that occurred,” Isner said. “The Republicans are still kind of learning how he fits into their party and I think Democrats are still learning how we all fit together in the absence of the governor being among our party.”