39 Facts About Jim Justice

James Conley Justice II was born on April 27,1951 and is an American businessman and politician who has served as the 36th governor of West Virginia since 2017.

Jim Justice had a net worth of $1.2 billion in September 2018, making him the wealthiest person in West Virginia, though it has declined to $513.3 million as of October 2021.

Jim Justice inherited a coal mining business from his father and built a business empire with 94 companies, including the Greenbrier, a luxury resort in White Sulphur Springs.

In 2015, Jim Justice announced his candidacy for governor in the 2016 West Virginia gubernatorial election.

Less than seven months after taking office, Jim Justice switched back to the Republican Party after announcing his plans at a rally with US president Donald Trump in the state.

Jim Justice enrolled at the University of Tennessee on an athletic scholarship for golf, but transferred to Marshall University.

Jim Justice earned his bachelor's degree and Master of Business Administration from Marshall.

Jim Justice founded Bluestone Farms in 1977, which now operates 50,000 acres of farmland, and is the leading producer of grain on the East Coast of the United States.

Since buying back the mine from Mechel, Jim Justice reopened several of the mines and hired over 200 miners.

Jim Justice serves as the owner or chief executive officer of over 50 companies, including the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, which he bought for $20.5 million in 2009, preventing its bankruptcy.

Jim Justice is in the process of building a new mountaintop golf course with golfers Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Lee Trevino.

Jim Justice gives away more than $1 million in Christmas gifts annually through the Dream Tree for Kids campaign.

Jim Justice placed his daughter Jill in charge of the Greenbrier and his son Jay in charge of his mining and agriculture businesses.

Jim Justice said he would place all his assets in a blind trust, but that the process would take time because of their complexity.

In 2015, Jim Justice declared his candidacy for governor of West Virginia in the 2016 election as a member of the Democratic Party.

Jim Justice had been a registered member of the Republican Party until changing his registration in February 2015.

In May 2016, Jim Justice won the Democratic nomination for governor and ran against Republican nominee Bill Cole in the general election.

Jim Justice is known for using colorful metaphors and digs at political opponents.

Jim Justice opposed plans to cut health and education spending.

Jim Justice made the announcement at a rally hosted by President Donald Trump in Huntington and confirmed his support for Trump.

Jim Justice said he was returning to the GOP because he could not support Trump as a member of the Democratic Party.

Later in the general election, Jim Justice endorsed Republican Senate candidate Patrick Morrisey.

In 2020, Jim Justice signed into law the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act, which created felony penalties for protests targeting oil and gas facilities.

In January 2022, Jim Justice postponed his annual State of the State address because he had contracted COVID-19 and was isolating at home.

Jim Justice began his gubernatorial campaign and political career as a conservative Democrat.

Jim Justice switched to the Republican Party a few months after taking office and declared his support for President Donald Trump.

Jim Justice campaigned and has governed with support for the coal industry.

In 2017, Jim Justice said that he opposed budget cuts and supported raising sales taxes.

Jim Justice added, "to be able to make it on 7 or 8 dollars an hour, that's really, really tough", while expressing concern that too high a minimum wage could lead to unemployment.

Jim Justice had said that he does not support abortion, but that the Supreme Court had decided the issue.

Jim Justice signed a bill legalizing hunting on Sundays on private land.

On March 1,2023, Jim Justice signed into law a bill legalizing campus carry for those with concealed carry permits.

In 2023, Jim Justice signed legislation prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors.

Jim Justice encouraged West Virginians to get vaccinated with the slogan "Do It for Babydog", referring to his dog.

Jim Justice is a lifelong fan of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League, and spent $30 million to develop a training facility for the team to use in 2014 at the Greenbrier.

Jim Justice was sued about his residency by former state house assistant minority whip Isaac Sponaugle on the basis that Justice did not live in the West Virginia Governor's Mansion in Charleston.

Since 1992, Jim Justice has been president of Beckley Little League.

Jim Justice's participation has helped the program expand to over 1,000 children playing on 80 teams.

Jim Justice said that though he would put his business interests in a blind trust upon becoming governor, he would still coach basketball.