State Auditor McCuskey drops out of governor’s race, into attorney general race
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CHARLESTON - The race for the Republican nomination for governor of West Virginia is losing a candidate with State Auditor J.B. McCuskey jumping into the attorney general's race with Senate Judiciary Committee Vice Chairman Ryan Weld and former U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart.
McCuskey officially announced Monday morning that he was withdrawing from the 2024 Republican primary for governor. Instead of seeking a third term as state auditor, McCuskey said he will run to succeed Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey.
"I am a strong, principled conservative who will never stop fighting for West Virginian's freedom and prosperity," McCuskey said in a statement Monday morning. "West Virginia needs a strong conservative fighting for them against the nonsense that is coming out of Washington, D.C., that is negatively affecting our state. Our administration will fight tirelessly against bad policies, just as we have as your State Auditor, and we will continue the work Patrick Morrisey has accomplished in during his tenure."
McCuskey, the son of retired state Supreme Court Justice John F. McCuskey, is a former two-term member of the House of Delegates representing the 35th District in Kanawha County. He first ran for auditor in 2016 and reelection in 2020. He lives in Charleston with his wife, Wendy, and daughters, Charlotte and Martha.
He graduated from George Washington University with a political communication degree and from the West Virginia University College of Law. While in the House, McCuskey was an attorney for the Steptoe and Johnson law firm in Charleston. Prior to obtaining his law degree, McCuskey worked for the Department of Defense and the U.S. Army in the general counsel's offices in the Pentagon.
McCuskey is leaving a crowded GOP primary race for governor to succeed Gov. Jim Justice who is limited to two terms. That field includes Morrisey, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Moore Capito, Secretary of State Mac Warner and Huntington car dealership owner Chris Miller. The race also includes Terri Bradshaw, Edwin Vanover and Rashida Yost.
First joining the race for governor at the end of February, McCuskey has remained in the low single digits in the last several polls. McCuskey came in fourth in fundraising for the governor's race, with only $412,083 in cash-on-hand. However, that gives him significantly more money than the other two Republicans in the race.