CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — It sounds like a crazy idea, but it is possible that West Virginia could have four different governors over the course of 13 days.
Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) could take the oath of office to the U.S. Senate on Jan. 3, but he can’t hold both jobs at once so he’d have to resign as governor that day.
That would set in motion a fascinating scenario. State Senate President Craig Blair (R) would become acting governor for five days. Then, on Jan. 8, when newly elected Senate President Randy Smith takes office, he would also become acting governor for five days.
On Jan. 13, Governor-Elect Patrick Morrisey (R) would be sworn into office.
This all could be avoided if Gov. Justice completes his full term on Jan. 13, and delays going to the Senate.
“I love our people. I’ve said it many times, beyond good sense. And they’ve entrusted in me and they and I don’t think that they deserve a whole lot of chaos. And so we’re trying to figure it out,” said Gov. Jim Justice, (R) West Virginia – U.S. Senator-Elect.
The last time anything even remotely close to this happened was back in 2010 when Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin became governor after then-Governor Joe Manchin was sworn into the U.S. Senate.
Tomblin simply completed Manchin’s second term and then Tomblin was elected to the office in his own right.
We did ask Gov. Justice on Tuesday if he would delay going to the U.S. Senate and finish his complete term as governor, so all of this confusion could be avoided. He said he is leaning one way, but did not say which way he was leaning.
