JB McCuskey | Photo courtesy of
CLARKSBURG – JB McCuskey has filed paperwork to run for West Virginia Attorney General.
McCuskey, accompanied by his wife and children, filed the documents on January 22 at the Secretary of State’s office in Clarksburg.
In doing so, the Republican became the first to file for the seat to be vacated by AG Patrick Morrisey, who is seeking the GOP gubernatorial nomination.
“Signing this and pledging to the people of West Virginia that I am running to advocate for their interests, not mine, is a very strenuous and humbling thing to do; promise that if elected, I will work tirelessly to defend the freedoms we enjoy and the values that make us who we are,” McCuskey said.
In his last campaign for auditor, McCuskey visited all 55 counties at least three times. His campaign says this resulted in “overwhelming support across the Mountain State” as he won all 55 counties for the second time.
McCuskey says he plans to continue that tradition, having already visited 32 counties twice and 40 counties at least once.
“I plan to approach this campaign the same way I have approached every campaign before it – with energy, enthusiasm and a true willingness to hear the comments and concerns of the citizens I serve,” McCuskey said. “I chose Clarksburg over Charleston to file because my constituents are not just in Kanawha County – they span the entire state.
“You can expect to see us on the trail in the coming weeks. From Ceredo to Charles Town, from Welch to Weirton, I will meet with West Virginians to share my vision for the future and plan for the AG’s office.”
McCuskey originally planned to run for governor, but dropped out of the race in July to focus on the AG position.
“I was surrounded by candidates who had a lot more resources than me,” the two-term auditor told Hoppy Kercheval on July 24 on the statewide MetroNews Talkline radio program. “My experience as an auditor and in the legal community make me a perfect fit to continue serving West Virginia as attorney general.”
Fellow Republican Mike Stuart, a state senator and former U.S. attorney, has not yet officially filed the necessary paperwork to run for AG.
In October, Stuart called on McCuskey for “significant contributions” from personal injury lawyers to his campaign. Stuart was critical of the contributions of “Democratic personal injury attorneys” to McCuskey’s campaign.
“This is disgusting,” Stuart said in a press release. “The personal injury lawyers who pumped West Virginians $142 million in opioid settlements are now investing heavily in an attorney general candidate.”
Stuart named some of the lawyers who donated to McCuskey’s campaign, including Marvin Masters, Stephen Skinner and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ben Salango.
“And many of West Virginia’s other wealthiest ambulance-chasing Democrats are trying to buy the ‘lock, stock and barrels’ of the Attorney General’s office by contributing tens of thousands of dollars to Attorney General J.B. McCuskey’s campaign,” Stuart said.
Ryan Weld, another Republican state senator, also announced plans to run for AG. However, in November he announced his intention to run for re-election to the state Senate.
