Sen.-elect Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) will hold off on being seated in the Senate by 10 days until the end of his second term as governor concludes.
Justice, who will replace retiring Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), will delay his swearing-in from the start of the new Congress on Jan. 3 until Jan. 13, when Gov.-elect Patrick Morrisey, a Republican and West Virginia attorney general, takes office.
“My whole thinking behind all this is the continuity of government is essential during transitions,” Justice announced Thursday during a press conference. “Between Jan. 3 and when President Trump takes office, there’ll be some things [that] happen, but there won’t be anything happening, really, until when President Trump takes office.”
President-elect Donald Trump will take office on Jan. 20. Justice, a longtime ally of the incoming president, said he’s in “constant contact” with Trump on confirming his nominees and supporting his broader agenda.
“I don’t think that there’s anything [in the Senate] that’s going to rise to the to the level of what could happen here,” Justice said from West Virginia, citing the desire to avoid temporary replacements until Morrisey is sworn in. “I don’t think that West Virginia needs to have four governors in 10 days.”
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