Patrick Morrisey secured the Republican nomination for the West Virginia governor’s race on Tuesday, narrowly edging fellow candidate Moore Capito in the high-profile, high-spending race.
Morrisey, who has served as attorney general for 12 years, won with 33% of the vote when the race was called in his favor.
“This campaign now runs through November,” said Morrisey, 56, from his winning party in Martinsburg. “West Virginia is too important, our children’s future is too important, this country is too important.”
He added: “I will do everything I can to ensure that Donald J. Trump is the next president.”
democrat Steve WilliamsMayor of Huntington, ran unopposed and will face Morrisey in the November general election to become the state’s 37th governor.
Morrisey had narrowly managed Campaign polls in the race ahead of Tuesday’s primary. The New Jersey native spent more than $3 million — and led gubernatorial candidates Media ad buys – during his campaign in hopes of securing the nomination.
He touted his conservative track record over the last 12 years as attorney general and noted his work fighting the state’s crippling opioid epidemic Sue the Environmental Protection Agency.
Morrisey and his Republican gubernatorial candidates also joined in Anti-trans rhetoric this election cycle, with ads accusing each other of supporting each other LGBTQ+ rights.
As Attorney General Morrisey has often attempted to limit the opportunities of LGBTQ+ people through litigation. He recently said he would ask the Supreme Court weigh up about whether the state can enforce a ban on transgender athletes from participating in girls’ sports.
Moore, a former House member and son of U.S. Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, received 28% of the vote.
“This didn’t go the way we hoped,” he said at a watch party in downtown Charleston. “It’s been an incredible ride and fun… we look to the future with pure optimism.”
Moore described himself as the “can-do” conservative approved by Gov. Jim Justice, and the pair pushed for last-minute votes travel roughly before the day of the primary election. Moore, 41, issued $1.5 million during the campaign.
Car dealer Chris Miller was behind with 20% of the vote, and Secretary of State Mac Warner received 16% of the vote.
The diary reported According to an analysis by Medium Buying, $22 million has been spent in the race between the candidates, third-party political action committees and independent expenditure committees since the first ads were purchased last year.
