Patrick Morrisey was sworn in as West Virginia’s 37th governor on the steps of the state Capitol in Charleston, W.Va., on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. Morrisey is the state’s former attorney general. (Chris Jackson for West Virginia Watch)
Republican Patrick Morrisey, a social conservative who handily won his election, was ceremoniously sworn in as West Virginia’s 37th governor Monday on the steps of the state Capitol.
“We all know that our best days are ahead of us. No longer will we be content to watch other states pass us by,” Morrisey said to the crowd, which surpassed the available seats despite the low temperatures and snow-covered Capitol grounds. Morrisey was officially sworn in as governor at midnight Sunday during a private ceremony at the governor’s mansion.
“West Virginia is facing some real challenges that need to be addressed. The D.C. elites, the news media, Hollywood, they all look down on us. They don’t think we can overcome our challenges. They don’t think we can succeed. … I have a message for them. We’re going to prove you wrong,” Morrisey said.
The 56-year-old had served as the state’s attorney general since 2013. He replaces Jim Justice, who was elected to the U.S. Senate but has not been sworn in yet, forgoing the first 10 days of his Senate term.
Justice, along with former governors Joe Manchin and Earl Ray Tomblin, attended the inauguration in Charleston.
Morrisey’s inaugural speech focused on cutting government restrictions, “ending wokeness” and making West Virginia a juggernaut in the energy industry.
“We are America’s energy state and my administration, we’re gonna leverage those resources like you’ve never seen before,” he said. “And that means partnering with President Donald J. Trump. If ever there was an honorary West Virginian, it should be Donald Trump.”
His mention of Trump, who won every West Virginia county in the November election, received some of the loudest applause during Morrisey’s speech.
He added that West Virginia will have its own “version of DOGE,” the federal Department of Government Efficiency headed up by Trump’s allies, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. Morrisey has said he plans to audit state agencies to cut government waste.
Morrisey will work with an overwhelmingly Republican Senate and House of Delegates as he has called for another state income tax cut. West Virginians saw a 6% cut in state’s personal income tax under Justice; one cut was paid for by money from the state health departments.
“We’re gonna cut the state income tax, and we’re gonna make it lower than any state that we touch. We’re gonna put more money back in your pockets,” he said.
But the proposed tax cut will come as Morrisey is inheriting a state government budget problem. He has already said there are likely to be budget cuts for fiscal year 2026, and his proposed DOGE effort will look for places to save money in state government. Meanwhile, the state’s foster care system is in crisis and public schools are closing due to student population decline and buildings in need of repairs.
He plans to expand the Hope Scholarship, the state’s education savings account program that gives families roughly $4,900 per student to be used for private schooling, homeschooling, microschools and more. The program is already the broadest ESA program in the country, and money has been spent at out-of-state schools.
Morrisey said he’ll boost teacher pay, which is the lowest in the country.
“We’ll make sure West Virginia’s teachers, they’re gonna get paid competitively with those in neighboring states,” he said. “We will cut through the bureaucracy that burdens our classrooms. Our teachers will be able to spend more time teaching and less time tangled in red tape.
As West Virginia continues to lead the nation in per capita drug overdose deaths, Morrisey has faced criticism for his work as a pharmaceutical lobbyist and his handling of West Virginia’s opioid lawsuit settlements. Morrisey noted during his speech that he used time as attorney general to hold “those responsible accountable” for the opioid epidemic; the state secured nearly $1 billion in litigation from lawsuits with pharmaceutical companies.
“We’ve done a lot of good things where we’re making progress, but let’s be clear, this fight is far from over,” Morrisey said. “As governor, I’ll continue attacking this plague. We can simply not allow another generation to fall prey to senseless death. We will not let our neighbors fight this alone.”
Morrisey has announced 15 people that will fill executive staff roles and cabinet positions. They include longtime Republican operatives, individuals who worked with him in the state’s attorney general office and current and former state lawmakers. His chief of staff will be Tom McCaffery, who served as the principal deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Defense under Trump.
Morrisey, originally a New Jersey native, is the first West Virginia governor from Jefferson County. The inauguration included a performance by the Jefferson High School chamber choir.
Other Republicans in statewide offices were sworn in on Monday, including Treasurer Larry Pack, Secretary of State Kris Warner and Agricultural Commissioner Kent Leonhardt. Former state Senator Charlie Trump, a Republican, was sworn in as a newest member of West Virginia’s Supreme Court.
Inauguration day includes a full-day of activities, including a parade in Charleston, a Celebration of West Virginia Concert at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center and an inaugural ball.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.