Hancock County Republican Party Supporting ‘No Confidence’ Move Given to West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice
Hancock County GOP joins move against governor
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WHEELING -- The Hancock County Republican Party is supporting a Kanawha County GOP resolution expressing "no confidence" in Gov. Jim Justice.
Kanawha County Republicans on Tuesday night passed the "no confidence" resolution, citing Justice's failure to adhere to the party's platform as it pertains to education reform, school choice, and "right to work" protections.
The resolution also points out Justice was elected in November 2016 as a Democrat, then changed his party affiliation to Republican in August 2017. Justice faces re-election in 2020, though no Republican has stepped forward yet to challenge him in the GOP primary.
Committee members agreed with the sentiments expressed in the resolution, according to Hancock County GOP Chairwoman Liz Baldt.
(Justice) "opposes comprehensive education reform which is in contradiction to the West Virginia Republican Party Platform," the resolution states. "We support an academic, disciplined system of education that restores decision-making authority over public school policies and finances to parents, locally elected school boards and taxpayers, thus relieving and eliminating layers of bureaucracy which obstruct true education."
Baldt said executive committee members discussed the matter by email Wednesday morning.
State education dollars should be redirected "from a top heavy bureaucracy to teachers and students where they are needed most," according to the resolution. Justice opposes charter schools, "and the right of all parents and/or legal guardians to choose the most appropriate education for their children …," it states.
Justice also has publicly stated that he does not support "paycheck protection" and "right to work" legislations -- issues prominently pushed by the party's platform.
Marshall County Republican Party Chairman Brian Long said he doesn't expect his executive committee to join in on the resolution.
"I've heard nothing from them, but I wouldn't go that far," Long said. "I've heard no dissension or call for anything like that in Marshall County, or the Northern Panhandle. This is the first I've heard about it."
Long acknowledged the state has its problems, especially as they pertain to education and roads.
"But any governor goes through that," he said. "There are always growing pains."
Long believes Justice made the right decision to change parties as leadership in the state and nation became Republican.
"When he switched parties, he said as a Republican governor he could work with Republican President Donald Trump to help the state," Long said. "As a Democrat governor, he had gone as far as he could to help the state.
"I saluted him then, but I was shocked he switched parties."
Long said he also is aware the governor doesn't live at the governor's mansion, and is infrequently in Charleston.
"It would be nice if he were there everyday," he said. "But if the state is doing well … I don't care where he lives. I don't feel we suffer …
"I would give him a 'B' or a 'B+' as governor."
Ohio County GOP Chairwoman Elgine McArdle expects there will be a Republican primary for governor in 2020.
"Chairs cannot take a position in the primary -- and there will be a contested primary, so I cannot take a position," she said.
Wetzel County Republican Party Chairman Herbert Jung said his executive committee is slated to meet Saturday, and the resolution is likely to be a topic of discussion.
"I don't have any negative feelings against him (Justice)," Jung said. "I don't know what the other people feel like. "
Republican officials in Brooke and Tyler counties did not immediately return calls for comment on Wednesday.