Jim Justice looks past his business struggles and declares himself a Senate winner in West Virginia

Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — More than a month before the election, Jim Justice declared victory in his U.S. Senate race in deep red West Virginia. It was a chest thump from a Republican who at the same time was in a behind-the-scenes fight to keep some of his family businesses in good standing. Banks, creditors and others have hounded Justice for years to pay his debts, including loan defaults, late payments, court fines and threats of foreclosure. The two-term governor who is running against Democrat Glenn Elliott to succeed the retiring Sen. Joe Manchin. Manchin’s seat had been one of the last lines of defense for Democrats trying to preserve their Senate majority.