The Associated Press called the race for Justice at 7:30 PM ET, shortly after the polls closed in West Virginia. Justice defeated Democrat Glenn Elliott, the mayor of Wheeling.

2024 ELECTIONS LIVE UPDATES: LATEST NEWS ON THE TRUMP-HARRIS PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Justice, 73, is finishing out his second term as governor and is term-limited. The businessman and member of a prominent coal mining family was first elected as governor in 2016 as a Democrat before becoming a Republican in August 2017.

Manchin decided not to run for reelection in November, raising speculation about a third-party presidential run. However, he ruled out a White House bid in February under No Labels, the centrist group that later abandoned moving forward with a bipartisan unity ticket for the 2024 presidential election.

Justice announced a run for Senate in April 2023, a major win for national Republicans who had been recruiting the term-limited governor for months. He framed himself as the strongest candidate to unseat Manchin before the longtime senator announced his retirement. Manchin had been considered Senate Democrats’ only chance of preventing the West Virginia seat from flipping.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Manchin backed Elliott in the race, describing him as a man with the “determination, the vigor, and vitality” to do the work required in the Senate. Former President Donald Trump endorsed Justice, who spoke at the Republican National Convention this summer, when his dog, Babydog, stole the show.

Manchin’s decision to step down marks the end of an era for non-Republicans in power in West Virginia, which has voted reliably red on the presidential level since 2000.

This is a developing story.