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Justice praises Trump, acknowledges Biden presidency

Gov. Jim Justice talks about his support for President Donald Trump Wednesday. (Photo Provided)

CHARLESTON — Republican Gov. Jim Justice — a friend and supporter of Republican President Donald Trump — continues to support the President but acknowledged for the first time that Democratic former vice president Joe Biden is likely the next president.

“The more and more evidence that comes in, it surely looks like … Biden will be our president,” Justice said Wednesday during his COVID-19 briefing at the State Capitol Building.

Justice, who won election in 2016 as the Democratic nominee but switched back to the Republican Party with Trump at his side the following year, won re-election in November as the first elected Republican governor since Cecil Underwood in 1996.

Justice has often touted his friendship with Trump and the Trump family, with Donald Trump Jr. headlining several Justice political fundraisers and traveling to the state to hunt with Justice. Trump has often spoken and tweeted kind words about “Big Jim Justice.”

Praising Trump for his work with Operation: Warp Speed — the federal effort to fund research and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines — Justice said Trump deserves thanks for his response to the pandemic. Both Pfizer and Moderna have requested emergency authorization for COVID-19 vaccines, which are expected to be approved on Dec. 10 and Dec. 17 respectively. Justice also praised Vice President Mike Pence, who chairs the federal coronavirus task force.

“Our President and all these people moved on it like you can’t imagine,” Justice said. “The expediency in how they pulled it off is unbelievable … these people deserve a lot of credit.”

Justice said he would work with whoever is in the Oval Office on Jan. 20, 2021. While Justice didn’t mention anything about the largely debunked claims of voter fraud alleged by Trump’s legal team — most of which have been thrown out of state and federal courts due to lack of substantial evidence presented — Justice said Trump is still within his right to challenge the results of the election within legal means.

“Why be in a hurry? Make sure all the votes are counted and everything is correct,” Justice said. “There’s still issues out there and I’m still a real believer in why be in such a hurry? We still have some time … we’ll end up with the president on January 20th and I’m sure the transition — if it’s President Biden — will take place in an honorable way. At least I hope and pray it will.”

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com

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