Jim Justice, the current governor of West Virginia, has not yet decided when he will transition from governor to U.S. senator.
During a briefing, Justice explained that he hasn’t made a final decision, even though U.S. senators are typically sworn in on January 3. He hinted that he may have some flexibility with the timing.
West Virginia’s new governor, Patrick Morrisey, is scheduled to take office on January 13. This creates a 10-day gap between when U.S. senators take office and the new governor’s inauguration.
The state Senate president, who also serves as the lieutenant governor, would usually step in to cover any absence. However, the situation is complicated because the current Senate president, Craig Blair, lost his seat in the Republican primary last spring.
Recently, the state Senate’s Republican majority selected Randy Smith to become the next Senate president. Smith is expected to officially take the role on January 8, during a legislative meeting.
This creates a potential timeline where:
- Justice could take the Senate seat on January 3.
- Blair could temporarily act as governor for about five days.
- Smith would then take over as acting governor until Morrisey’s inauguration on January 13.
Justice has been thinking about how to handle this situation, mentioning that he wants to avoid causing confusion for the people of West Virginia. He stressed his commitment to the state and said he would make a decision soon, assuring residents that everything would be handled smoothly.