Governor Justice continues to travel the state campaigning against Amendment Two. During several recent stops, Justice’s monologue segued into observations about how he has conducted his job over the last six years.
At Point Pleasant last Friday, he said, “and at the end of the day, if you were really fair, you’re probably going to step back and say, ‘greatest Governor we ever had. Ten to one. Greatest Governor we ever had. Took this state from bankruptcy to that rocket ship ride beyond belief’.”
The Governor was also in a self-congratulatory mood during a stop in Cacapon Monday. “And, in all honesty, if you’re really fair you’ll probably sit back—and I don’t say this egotistically—and say, ‘greatest Governor we ever had, hands down, period’.”
The Governor repeated that argument again yesterday in Marlinton.
The survey of one is in: Justice is the greatest Governor since the state’s formation in 1863.
To his credit, Justice has had notable successes.
He pushed for passage of the $1.6 billion road bond amendment. That money, combined with a huge increase in federal dollars from the infrastructure bill, have contributed to ongoing major improvements in the state’s roads and bridges.
He tirelessly guided the state through the pandemic with energy and heart, while following the best available medical advice. He spoke for many when he expressed true remorse for the passing of every victim of the virus.
The state has rebounded from the historic economic downturn during the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Governor’s office has successfully recruited new businesses to the state at a pace not seen in recent memory.
However, the state continues to have major challenges with workforce development, the opioid crisis and academic achievement. Rather than a rocket ship ride, it would be more accurate to say the rocket is off the launchpad, but there is a long journey ahead into the unknown.
But who is going to question Justice’s enthusiastic self-assessment? It is not as though historians are devoting dense tomes to rank West Virginia’s greatest Governors, and West Virginians probably don’t care about such an academic exercise.
Golden Horseshoe winners can give you a few notes about the accomplishments of Arthur Boreman, the state’s first Governor, but who among us is going to lobby on behalf of, say, Governor John Cornwell (1917-1921) who started the State Police and established a budget based on pay-as-you-go principles. (I only know that after flipping through John G. Morgan’s book West Virginia Governors.)
In lieu of rigorous appraisal, the popular Governor—Morning Consult gives him a 65 percent approval rating—has the floor to assert that his accomplishments rank above the previous 35. That list includes U.S. Senator and former Governor Joe Manchin, who I strongly suspect would disagree with Justice’s assessment.
Justice’s proclivity to tout his abilities comes from either unconditional confidence or deep insecurity and I suspect it is the former. Leaders typically possess an abundance of self-assurance, so they are comfortable at the front of the pack.
Politicians will always promote their accomplishments when given the opportunity. There is nothing wrong with highlighting successes when you are in a near-constant state of campaigning to keep your job. So, Justice, like every other politician, is entitled to toot his own horn.
However, proclaiming that he will be remembered as the “greatest Governor we ever had” is distasteful, and from a historical perspective, to-be-determined.