CHARLESTON — The filing period for candidates in West Virginia is more than three months away, but at least one political action committee supporting a Republican candidate for governor is claiming an endorsement for their candidate that has yet to be made.

Black Bear PAC, a political action committee supporting West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey in the 2024 Republican primary for governor, has digital ads promoting Morrisey. These ads say that Morrisey is a pro-Trump conservative, pro-life and “NRA Endorsed.”

The “NRA” in question is the National Rifle Association, which has endorsed Morrisey in his races for attorney general and his 2018 race for U.S. Senate. But the NRA has issued no endorsements of any announced candidate for governor of West Virginia.

Art Thomm, state director of legislative affairs at the NRA-Institute for Legislative Action, said no endorsements would be forthcoming until the end of the candidate filing period between Jan. 8 and Jan. 27.

“The NRA-PVF (Political Victory Fund) has not issued endorsements for any of the West Virginia primary elections at this time, and will not until after the filing period has expired,” Thomm said. “The field will not be official until that time, and the NRA cannot make decisions on potential grades or endorsements without the clear picture.”

Thomm said once the candidate filing period is over, the NRA will send each candidate a questionnaire. Any potential endorsements will be based on the questionnaire and other factors.

“We take information from that questionnaire, along with any voting record the candidate may have and/or other pertinent information into consideration when making grade and endorsement determinations,” Thomm said.

The NRA has endorsed Morrisey in his three races for attorney general. They also endorsed Morrisey over Sen. Joe Manchin in the 2018 U.S. Senate race. The Attorney General’s Office is supporting the NRA in its federal lawsuit against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that seeks to place new regulations on stabilizing braces for pistols.

Morrisey is hosting a Second Amendment Round Table meeting from 1:30 to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Seneca Center in Morgantown to discuss the various firearms legal actions the Attorney General’s Office has taken.

Both Black Bear PAC and Club for Growth PAC, the super PAC affiliated with the conservative public policy advocacy organization Club for Growth, endorsed Morrisey in April for the Republican nomination for governor of West Virginia to succeed the term-limited Gov. Jim Justice, who is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2024.

A request for comment Thursday was not returned.

Black Bear PAC lists Scott Will, a former campaign manager for Morrisey’s first run for attorney general in 2012, as a senior adviser. Will, a partner with Attorney General Strategies, also is a former executive director of the Republican Attorney General’s Association.

In a press release at the time, both PACs said they already raised $5 million to support Morrisey with a goal to spend more than $10 million. Black Bear PAC has $3.8 million in cash on hand going into the remainder of 2023, according to a mid-year report filed July 31 with the Federal Election Commission covering the period between January and June.

During the six-month period, Black Bear PAC raised more than $2.1 million with nearly all of that from a $2.1 million donation on March 28 from Club for Growth Action. Black Bear PAC spent $346,392 during the six-month period, including spending $50,500 on a poll released March 7 prior to Morrisey entering the governor’s race showing him in a wide lead over other Republican candidates.

According to the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office, 12 individuals have filed as pre-candidates for governor, allowing them to raise money while deciding whether to file as candidates this coming January.

The six Republican pre-candidates, including Morrisey, are: House Judiciary Committee Chairman Moore Capito, R-Kanawha; Secretary of State Mac Warner; Huntington businessman Chris Miller; and Terri Bradshaw, Edwin Vanover and Rashida Yost.

Other pre-candidates include Democratic Party candidate Cecil Silva, independent Quintin Caldwell, Libertarian Party candidate Erika Kolenich, Mountain Party candidate Chase Linko-Looper, Constitution Party candidate S. Marshall Wilson and Frederick Vance (no affiliation).