Donald Trump shakes hands with West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who announced during the rally that he would switch parties from Democrat to Republican, during a Make America Great Again Rally at Big Sandy Arena in Huntington, West Virginia. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
West Virginia is one of seven states that does not have an independently-appointed or elected lieutenant governor. In Charleston, it is instead a statutory title given to the state Senate leader.
So, if Justicewere to join the U.S. Senate on-schedule, current state Senate President Craig Blair would initially assume the role.
However, Blair lost the GOP primary for his Martinsburg seat in April, and therefore leaves office on Jan. 8 when the new legislature is sworn in.
On Jan. 8, the newly-selected leader, Sen. Randy Smith from Tucker County, would assume the governorship until Gov.-elect Patrick Morrisey took office on Jan. 13.
"Between January 3rd and when President Trump takes office, there'll be some things that happen, but there won't be anything happening [in the U.S. Congress] really until when President Trump takes office," Justice said Thursday.
"I'm in constant contact with President Trump about my feelings about his selections for his appointments, my feelings about where we're going to go on all kinds of issues like energy and on and on and on and everything," he added.
TRUMP, GOP CELEBRATE JOE MANCHIN RETIREMENT
Travelers are greeted by a West Virginia welcome sign after crossing the East River Mountain Tunnel on I-77 in Princeton. (Charles Creitz)
A billionaire coal businessman who also owns The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, Justice was originally elected as a Democrat but changed parties during a 2017 rally with Trump in his first term in Charleston – and was re-elected as a Republican.
Justice’s turn to the GOP and the retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., completes a full shift from the blue state that for decades elected Sen. Robert Byrd and Rep. Nick Joe Rahall to a deep-red state that Democratic presidential candidates since Hillary Clinton have lost by double-digits.
Bearing the wait until Jan. 13, Justice reiterated, will be worth it because he loves Trump "with all my soul."
"I think the world of his family and everything. And I'm going to be there [and] super supportive of what he's doing. And we're going to try in every way to . . . put this nation back on the right track."
"The people of West Virginia will know exactly where I stand with them."
Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.
Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.
Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.
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