Supreme Court Justice says she will not run for U.S. Senate

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A member of the state Supreme Court says she is not interested in being a U.S. Senator.

Supreme Court Justice Robin Davis said she likes the law and will not be running for U.S. Senate.

“I want to make it perfectly clear that I am not running, nor have I ever had any intentions of running for the United States Senate,” said Justice Robin Davis.

Davis was first elected to an unexpired term on the state Supreme Court in 1996.  She was reelected in 2000 and reelected to another 12 year term just last November.

“I love the law.  I am a scholar of the law and I think I’m doing good work where the people of West Virginia voted me into office and I don’t intend to just hop around, or attempt to hop around, from one candidacy to another,” she said.

Her name has come up many times in recent months as Democrats look for a candidate with enough statewide name recognition and money to potentially replace outgoing U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller.

Second District Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican, is the early frontrunner for the seat.

Davis said it will be up to another Democrat to get into the race.

“I’m grateful and proud that the people of West Virginia elected me to a 12 year term on the West Virginia Supreme Court for a third time and I simply will not turn my back on those West Virginians who put me in that office,” she said.

Other candidates who have filed pre-candidacy papers for the U.S. Senate include Sheirl Fletcher from Monongalia County, a Democrat; Phil Hudok from Huttonsville with the Constitution Party; Republican Scott “Cody” Regan from Salt Rock; Democrat David Wamsley from Williamstown and Martin Staunton from Beckley who is running as a non-partisan candidate.

Primary Election Day is Tuesday, May 13.