Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (left) and Gov. Jim Justice speak at a news conference in 2020. | File photo
CHARLESTON – A new poll shows Gov. Jim Justice and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey with clear leads in their respective races for U.S. Senate and governor.
Justice, a Republican, is leading Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliot, a Democrat, by a vote of 62 to 28 in the Senate race, according to a poll commissioned by MetroNews and conducted by Research America.
Morrisey, also a Republican, is leading Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, a Democrat, in the gubernatorial race by a vote of 49-35.
Trump | Archive photo
The poll also found former President Donald Trump with a 61-34 lead over Vice President Kamala Harris. Additionally, 60 percent of those surveyed had a favorable opinion of Trump, while 37 percent viewed him unfavorably. Harris’ numbers were 35 and 61, respectively.
The poll also shows Justice’s approval rating has hit a record high of 65 percent. Overall, Justice had a 57 percent positive rating, while 32 percent had an unfavorable view of the two-term governor.
“West Virginians overwhelmingly support Gov. Jim Justice for U.S. Senate,” campaign spokesman Roman Stauffer said in a press release. “He has a proven track record, from the largest tax cut in state history, economic development and the creation of thousands of jobs across the state, record budget surpluses, and a champion of pro-life causes and our Second Amendment.”
Stauffer says Justice is the only Trump candidate in the Mountain State to receive an America First endorsement.
“Make no mistake, West Virginians, every Democrat you see on the ballot this election cycle is rooting for President Donald Trump to lose and Kamala Harris to win,” Stauffer said. “Wide open borders, high inflation, and an economy that is crushing families across West Virginia are the results of the Biden Harris agenda that Gov. Justice’s opponent supports.
“The Trump Justice team is a powerful force winning in West Virginia. They are the most popular elected officials in West Virginia, and Governor Justice is proud to have the support and endorsement of his friend, President Trump. West Virginians can have strong confidence in our future leadership with President Trump in the White House and Governor Jim Justice in the U.S. Senate.”
Morrissey’s campaign also praised the results.
“Patrick Morrisey has a huge lead, even after spending millions of dollars on negative advertising against him in the primary,” Jai Chabria, Morrisey’s senior campaign strategist, said in a press release. “He is poised to win the election in a landslide, and as the next governor, he will be able to fight the Washington establishment to protect and create jobs for West Virginians, increase education levels in the state, make West Virginia’s business community more competitive with our neighboring states, and improve the lives of all West Virginians.”
The poll found that 41 percent of respondents had a positive view of Morrissey, while 35 percent had an unfavorable view of the three-term attorney general.
About a quarter of those surveyed had positive opinions about Elliot and Williams, but 57 percent of those surveyed said they were unsure about either one.
The MetroNews West Virginia poll, presented by The Health Plan, included 400 completed interviews with registered voters who are expected to vote in the upcoming general election. The poll was conducted Aug. 21-27. All 55 counties were included in the sample. The confidence level is +/- 4.9 percentage points. Results were presented Aug. 30 at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Summit.
