Babydog Goes to Washington: West Virginia’s Justice Turns Senate Seat Red

Republican Gov. Jim Justice’s dog, beloved Babydog Justice, is headed to Washington after his owner won his Senate campaign — successfully turning West Virginia red.

The Fox News Decision Desk has predicted that Republican Governor Jim Justice of West Virginia will defeat the Democratic nominee – Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott.

Justice — along with his chubby companion, Babydog — first made headlines after the pair stole the show at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in July, when the governor entered the stage to yell, “Babydog!”

Spectators fawned over the English bulldog, launching the dog to stardom. His official X account says the dog, “Wendy’s nuggets, rides shotgun in daddy’s suburbs and sleeps.”

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Babydog Justice sat in a chair next to Gov. Justice when he gave his address at the RNC. (Getty Images)

Now Babydog is headed to Washington DC after his owner easily defeated conservative Rep. Alex Mooney, RW.Va., in a contested GOP primary earlier this year and then went on to defeat his Democratic opponent, Elliott.

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Babydog attended his owner’s election bids and accompanied him to campaign events and meet and greets throughout his campaign.

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice poses at his desk with his pet bulldog, Babydog. Image courtesy of Governor Jim Justice’s office. (Fox News Digital/Office of Governor Jim Justice)

While the RNC appearance made the 5-year-old pooch nationally recognized, Babydog has been a fixture in the West Virginia political arena for some time.

In June 2024, the beloved dog joined the ranks of Abraham Lincoln, Civil War soldiers and odes to Appalachian folk music in new murals beneath the West Virginia State Capitol.

In 2022, Justice held her up during his State of the State address and pointed her rear end at the camera.

“Babydog tells Bette Midler and all those out there: Kiss her heinie,” Justice said at the event.

The move came after singer and actress Bette Middler, writing on what was then Twitter, called West Virginians “poor, illiterate and screwed up” after Sen. Joe Manchin, DW.Va., refused to support a bill promoted by President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress.

In 2019, Babydog encouraged West Virginia residents to participate in a COVID-19 “Do it for Babydog: Save a Life: Change Your Life” campaign.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice’s bulldog “Babydog” travels in a collapsible carriage during the second day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on July 16, 2024. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

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With Justice’s victory, Republicans will control both of West Virginia’s two Senate seats for the first time in nearly a century.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on our Fox News Digital Election Center.

Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and The Associated Press contributed to this report.