Jim Justice (R) won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in West Virginia on May 14, 2024. Justice received 61.8% of the vote. Alexander Mooney (R) finished in second place with 26.6%. Bryan Bird (R), Zane Lawhorn (R), Don Lindsay (R), Bryan McKinney (R), and Janet McNulty (R) also ran in the primary.

Justice and Mooney led in local media attention, endorsements, polling, and fundraising.

Justice was, at the time of the primary, the state’s governor and a former businessman. Justice ran on his record, saying he signed the largest tax cut in state history, restrictions on abortion, and reductions in firearms regulations into law. Justice said Mooney had a poor record of performance in Congress. Justice’s campaign manager called Mooney “the only RINO [Republican in name only] in this race…insignificant and ineffective.” Justice’s endorsers included former President Donald Trump (R), five senators, and the West Virginia Coal Association.

Mooney was, at the time of the primary, a member of the U.S. House. Mooney said he was running “to continue defending West Virginia’s conservative values and ensuring that our state continues to be a wonderful place to raise a family.” Mooney said Justice was a liberal: “Jim Justice is Joe Manchin 2.0. They’re basically the same…Why accept a liberal Republican when you can have a true conservative, especially with Joe Manchin now retiring?” Mooney’s endorsers included three senators, one U.S. representative, 17 state legislators, and the Senate Conservatives Fund.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and the Club for Growth supported different candidates. The NRSC endorsed Justice and the Club for Growth endorsed Mooney. According to CNN, the “Club for Growth has planned to go head-to-head with the NRSC over candidates they believe are insufficiently conservative on fiscal issues, even as GOP leaders are focused on finding the most electable Republican.”

Incumbent Joe Manchin III (D) is not running for re-election, leaving the seat open. At the time of the election, Manchin was the only Democrat who had won a statewide election in West Virginia since 2016. As of May 13, 2024, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales, and Larry J. Sabato’s Crystal Ball each rated the general election Safe/Solid Republican.