CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Former West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a number of socially conservative laws during his two terms in office. But he rarely pushed for them. The Democrat-turned-Republican, now heading to the U.S. Senate, instead has promoted tax cuts and economic development. He approved policies like the state’s 2022 abortion ban with comparably little public fanfare. His successor, Gov. Patrick Morrisey, stands in stark contrast. As the state’s attorney general since 2013 Morrisey has made key to his platform his dogged defense of not only abortion restrictions, but laws creating a school voucher program and prohibiting transgender kids from participating in sports.
