Justice’s RNC Address Draws Concern For Comments

Gov. Jim Justice spoke to the Republican National Convention (RNC) Tuesday night, and one of his comments is drawing concern.

Justice was joined on the Milwaukee stage by Babydog as part of a bloc of GOP candidates for the U.S. Senate this fall. The governor focused on President Donald Trump’s qualifications for office.

“Donald J. Trump, my friend. My close friend,” Justice said. “He’s tough. He’s super smart. He’s a business guy. He loves America. He taught his kids the right values. And he’s a hard worker. Sure sounds like a leader to me.”

He told the audience that Babydog predicted his party would gain control of the full Congress in the November election.

“Babydog says we’ll retain the House, the majority in the House,” Justice said. “We’re going to flip the United States Senate and overwhelmingly we’re going to elect Donald J. Trump and J.D. Vance in November.”

But the governor also made an unsettling prediction. 

“The bottom line to every single thing that’s going on in this great country today is one thing: we become totally unhinged if Donald Trump is not elected in November,” Justice said.

Some, including Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, perceived the comment as threatening. 

“Didn’t expect my Governor to be the one threatening us all, but here we are,” Young wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Justice’s campaign for Senate did not respond to a request for comment.

Watch Justice’s full address here: