West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice brought along his favorite accessory to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Tuesday night: his clairvoyant bulldog Babydog.
Justice is vying for the Senate seat currently held by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who is retiring – and is likely to flip it to the GOP in the fall.
During Justice’s years in the governor’s mansion, the plump English bulldog has been a constant companion, and fills the role of Punxsutawney Phil and sports prognosticator for the Mountain State.
Justice told the crowd she had some thoughts about the November election during the dog’s appearance Tuesday night.
‘Babydog’s got a prediction for everybody here,’ Justice said. ‘Babydog says we’ll retain the majority in the House, we’re going to flip the United States Senate and overwhelmingly we’re going to elect Donald J. Trump and J.D. Vance in November.’
Babydog, the bulldog belonging to West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who is running for U.S. Senate, made a surprise cameo Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention
Gov. Jim Justice (right) was seated during his convention speech and had a handler plop Babydog down beside him
Babydog, who plays the role of sports and weather prognosticator – a la Punxsutawney Phil – in West Virginia makes a surprise appearance Tuesday night at the RNC
Justice was tapped to speak on day No. 2 of the Republican National Convention during a part of the program where all the GOP’s Senate candidates delivered remarks.
He stood out by sitting.
Justice walked out onstage and sat down in a chair behind the podium – as an empty armchair remained emtpy onstage next to him.
At the top of the speech, Justice talked about the greatness of West Virginia.
‘We want you to come to try us out someday,’ Justice said.
Then he got down to business.
‘Now, with all that being said, I know that a lot of you want to meet my little buddy,’ he said. ‘Now if Babydog can come out here.’
Babydog walks onstage at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday. She was then plopped on an armchair during Gov. Jim Justice’s speech
Justice claimed that Babydog predicted the Senate would flip to Republican control, the House would remain in GOP control and the White House would be won by former President Donald Trump and his new running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance
Gov. Jim Justice said of Babydog: ‘She makes you smile and she loves everybody. How could the message possibly be any more simpler than that’
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice walks off stage followed by Babydog Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee
A handler carried the bulldog out and plopped her in the armchair.
‘Now as the world watches, you didn’t really expect that did you?’ Justice asked the crowd.
They screamed and cheered.
‘She makes you smile and she loves everybody,’ he gushed. ‘How could the message possibly be any more simpler than that.’
Though as the GOP tried to push a theme of ‘unity’ Tuesday night, Justice himself predicted discord if the party’s nominee wasn’t successful.
‘We become totally unhinged if Donald Trump is not elected in November,’ the Senate hopeful said.