CHARLESTON — Gov. Patrick Morrisey responded Tuesday to growing discussion about the 2028 Republican gubernatorial race, saying he intends to focus on his administration’s record rather than a future campaign.
The comments came after WV MetroNews published a commentary by TJ Meadows arguing that a potential primary challenge by U.S. Sen. Jim Justice could provide a head-to-head matchup against Morrisey. Justice, a former two-term governor, has confirmed he is considering a 2028 challenge.
Morrisey addressed the speculation in a social media post, saying his focus remains on governing West Virginia.
“Some pundits want to start the 2028 election season less than 20 months into my first term as your Governor. Let them do that.
I intend to keep delivering big victories for West Virginia instead of posturing for future office. Just in the past week, here’s what we have announced:
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- $96 billion in new private sector investment over the past year and $81 billion in the past two weeks alone— no administration has ever seen these numbers before and our capital investment projections are NINE TIMES more than any administration that ever existed before. Meanwhile, we are forecasting over 19,000 new jobs!!!
- West Virginia was recently cited as one of six states which may benefit from President Trump’s new nuclear power lifecycle campuses, which could result in billions of new investment and thousands of new jobs. We aren’t done yet but it’s nice to be in the final six states competing for thousands of jobs!! My team and I worked hard on this because I know it will help so many citizens of our state!
- Crime is way down in West Virginia from 2024 to 2025. 5.6 percentage reduction in violent crime. 13.5 percentage drop in property crime and a minimum of 12 percent reduction in substance abuse deaths. We have pushed an aggressive strategy to go after the criminals and the drugs so that we can protect our people and our strategy is working!!!
We are transforming West Virginia my friends and these three announcements are just the beginning.
Our record is strong after just 20 months and will only grow stronger as we change the fundamentals that have held our state back in the past!!”
Morrisey’s remarks did not address Justice by name.
Justice has said he is seriously considering a 2028 Republican primary challenge against Morrisey. He confirmed to WV MetroNews last week that he was considering a campaign, saying, “We’ll make a decision and make it quickly.”
The potential matchup has emerged less than two years into Morrisey’s first term as governor and could become a major Republican primary contest in West Virginia.
Morrisey, in Tuesday’s statement, emphasized his administration’s economic development, energy and public safety initiatives rather than the developing 2028 political discussion.
