Elliott: “Justice would be an absolute embarrassment in Washington”
By Patrick Hurston
In a late campaign stop in Hardy County, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Glenn
Elliott pulled no punches when it came to highlighting what he believes are the biggest
differences between him and his Republican opponent, Governor Jim Justice.
The event, sponsored by the Hardy County Democratic Women’s Committee was held
at the South Branch Inn on Sunday, Oct. 20.
“The former President remains very popular, we all know that, but Jim Justice and
Patrick Morrisey do not have that same hold over the electorate that he does,” Elliott
said in his remarks to the approximately 40 people gathered to hear from him.
“People don’t see Jim Justice in the same light,” he continued. “So, my challenge all
along has been to get people to know who he really is. He’s somebody who doesn’t
show up to work, he doesn’t pay his bills, steals from employees, doesn’t pay his taxes,
and puts his workers in mines at risk and doesn’t pay the fines that he gets.”
Justice has been criticized for spending little time in the capital and never residing in the
Governor’s mansion, something required under the state constitution. He has also found
himself mired in lawsuits alleging failure to pay years of overdue health and safety fines
at his companies, and his Greenbrier Hotel has nearly landed on the auction block twice
since August due to the family defaulting on millions of dollars in back loans. After
winning the primary, he said, “There’s not a fiber in me that wants to go to DC. None.”
The Justice campaign did not respond to the Examiner’s request for comment.
Elliott, who says he has campaigned in all 55 counties, believes his accomplishments
as Mayor of Wheeling paint a sharp contrast, one he hopes voters will appreciate.
Elliott acknowledged that when he was a young man, he didn’t see a future in Wheeling.
The population was declining, dropping from 60,000 to 40,000 and the adult role models
around him defined success as leaving the state to find opportunities elsewhere.
After graduating college, however, Elliott landed an internship with former West Virginia
Senator Robert Byrd, who remains the longest serving senator in U.S. history, having
served 51 years.
“You can really see what a Senate seat can do for a state,” Elliott said, referring to
Byrd’s legacy in the state, including Corridor H.
After five years with Byrd, Elliott went to work for a Washington, DC-based law firm.
After paying off his student loans, he returned to Wheeling. He says that with his new
perspective he began to see the city not as one in decline, but rather one full of
opportunity.
Having purchased a dilapidated historic building to turn into his home, Elliott says during
the renovation and permitting process, he witnessed how city government was failing its
residents and “wasn’t taking the right steps to get things going.” He decided to run for
mayor and today takes credit for turning the city around after securing more than $500
million in public and private investment.
He was quick to acknowledge that Democrats in recent years lost their way, but says he
is committed to bringing the party back to one which serves the middle class and the
underdog.
“We’re seen as the party of radicals or whatever, and that’s on us to get that back. We
have to claim that back again,” he said. “We can’t run away from the fact that we ran the
state for 80 years and it ended up in all those same last place rankings,” he said,
referring to the state’s continually poor rankings on education, health outcomes, and
economic development.
“We have to look to do better,” he said. “West Virginians are tired of being overlooked.
People want to be heard and I’m working to make sure voters see that I’m the one who
can make that happen.”
Early voting continues at the Hardy County Courthouse through Nov. 2. Election day is
Nov. 5. Polls will be open 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
