Babydog goes to Washington: West Virginia’s Justice flips Senate seat red

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

The Fox News Decision Desk has projected that Republican Gov. Jim Justice of West Virginia will defeat the Democrat Party’s nominee—Wheeling mayor Glenn Elliott.

Justice – along with his chunky companion, Babydog – first made headlines after the pair stole the shows during the Republican National Convenion (RNC) in July, with the governor entering the stage to chants of, “Babydog!”

Onlookers fawned over the English bulldog, launching the pooch to stardom. His official X account states that the pooch, “Wendy’s nuggets, riding shotgun in dad’s Suburban, and napping.”

FOX NEWS PROJECTS JUSTICE VICTORY IN WEST VIRGINIA AS GOP FLIPS SENATE SEAT

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

Now, Babydog is headed to Washington D.C. after his owner easily defeated conservative Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., in a contentious GOP primary earlier this year and then moved on to defeat his Democratic opponent, Elliott. 

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Babydog participated in his owner’s election bid, accompanying 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. Picture courtesy of the Office of Governor Jim Justice.  (Fox News Digital/Office of Governor Jim Justice)

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

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

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  West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice holds up his dog Babydog’s rear end as a message to people who’ve doubted the state as he comes to the end of his State of the State speech in the House chambers, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, in Charleston, W.Va.  (Chris Dorst/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

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  West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice holds Babydog, his English Bulldog, during his State of the State address, Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, at the Capitol in Charleston, W.Va.  (AP Photo/Leah Willingham)

In 2022, Justice hoisted 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 wrote on what was then Twitter, had called West Virginians “poor, illiterate and strung out” after Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.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 Governor Jim Justice’s bulldog “Babydog” is travelling in a folding wagon during the second day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 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 at our Fox News Digital election hub.

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