| West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has won the state's Senate race, according to The Associated Press, marking a critical, albeit expected, pickup for Republicans this cycle. The current governor will replace outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), who caucused with Democrats. Manchin was widely considered the only possible candidate who could fend off a Republican win in the state; when he retired, Democrats effectively wrote the seat off. The Democratic nominee, Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott, was running behind in the polls by double-digits headed into Election Day. Justice was a top recruit for Senate Republicans' campaign arm this cycle, and handedly beat conservative Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) in a testy primary earlier this year. The governor, who switched from Democrat to Republican in 2017, is seen as a close ally to Donald Trump. He has high favorability in the state, and a popular and well-known English bulldog named Babydog. Still, Justice has faced some criticism over his attendance in the statehouse while serving as governor. POLITICO previously reported some West Virginia lawmakers have concerns over his health and mobility. Read the latest
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