The News
Republicans officially take over the US Senate today as the new Congress begins with members’ swearing-in, with one exception.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice wants to avoid a messy succession before Gov.-elect Patrick Morrisey is sworn in on Jan. 13, so he’ll wait a few days before giving Republicans the 53rd seat in their new majority.
Justice’s absence, which will impact his seniority ranking, shouldn’t hurt Republicans too much on the floor given how short it’s expected to be. But it does reinforce lingering GOP questions about how present Justice will be on a day-to-day basis.
As he prepares for a big adjustment from the lifestyle of a governor to a senator’s, Justice is fully “committed” to the job, including attendance at critical votes, a campaign source told Semafor, adding that he’s currently staffing up his DC office.