West Virginia Mayor Steve Williams is the first Democrat to join the governor’s race.
Democratic Mayor Steve Williams Announces Bid for Governor of West Virginia
Mayor Steve Williams of Huntington, West Virginia, has made an exciting announcement – he is running for governor! Williams, who comes from a family of coal miners, shared his plans during the “United Mine Workers of America 84th Annual Labor Day Celebration.” This makes him the first and only Democrat to enter the race so far.
“I’m the grandson of two coal miners, and I’m standing on their shoulders,” Williams proudly declared. “This grandson of two coal miners is going to be running for governor next year!”
While Williams is the sole Democrat to signal his intent, it’s worth noting that Democrat Ben Salango, who ran in the previous gubernatorial race, has decided not to seek the executive seat. If no other Democrats join the race, it will be the fewest number of Democrats running for governor in at least 75 years.
Williams plans to file the necessary paperwork to officially enter the race in the first week of October. On the Republican side, seven candidates have already filed pre-candidacy papers, including West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey.
Pre-candidacy papers allow campaigns to begin fundraising and require regular campaign finance reports. To become an official candidate, individuals must file a separate certificate of announcement and pay a $1,500 fee. The filing period begins in January.
The current governor, Jim Justice, will be terming out after serving two consecutive terms and is now running for the U.S. Senate. However, he is also facing a lawsuit from the Justice Department for fines owed due to violations at his coal companies.
In the Republican Senate primary race, Justice holds a significant lead over Rep. Alex Mooney. Both candidates are seen as strong contenders to challenge Sen. Joe Manchin, who has been targeted by Republicans for being too liberal for West Virginia.
As for Manchin, he has not yet announced whether he will run for reelection. There are rumors that he may seek higher office, possibly on a third-party ticket for the 2024 presidential election.
General Election Matchup
In a recent poll, Justice holds 51% of the likely votes in a general election matchup against Manchin, who sits at 38%. In a matchup between Mooney and Manchin, the race is much closer, with Manchin receiving 45% of voter support compared to Mooney’s 41%.
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