McCarthy endorses Riley Moore for open West Virginia House seat

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s will endorse Riley Moore, of the West Virginia Moore Capito political family, for West Virginia’s Second Congressional District. The district is safely Republican and opened up after incumbent Rep. Alex Mooney announced his bid for West Virginia’s Senate seat.

“When we take back the Senate and White House in 2024, we will need people like Riley, who are ready to do the job on day one, in our expanded Republican Majority in the House. I’m proud to endorse Riley Moore for Congress,” McCarthy said in his endorsement statement, according to an announcement first obtained by POLITICO.

Moore beat six-term incumbent John Perdue (D-W.V.) for his current post as state treasurer in 2020. In the role he’s been a crusader against environmental, social and corporate governance investing (more commonly known as ESG investing) and challenged some of the world’s largest financial institutions on divesting from fossil fuels.

Moore pulled West Virginia from BlackRock’s investment fund because of its stance on fossil fuels and threatened to bar JP Morgan Chase and other big banks from doing business in West Virginia altogether.

“Riley Moore is a proven conservative with a track record of success who is critical to helping us undo the damage the Biden Administration has caused. His experience as a legislator and State Treasurer is crucial in helping us rein in the out of control spending of the radical left and helping us get our financial house in order,” McCarthy’s statement said, boasting Moore’s conservative bona fides.

On Capitol Hill, McCarthy has spent the last few months bogged down with negotiations on the debt ceiling bill, courting the most conservative members of his caucus as well as dealmaking with the White House to avoid a historic shut down. This endorsement is one of his first campaign moves since the showdown.

Republicans have just a four-seat majority in the House and holding on to safe seats will be just as crucial to capitalizing on pickup opportunities.

McCarthy's endorsement could help Moore clear the field in his primary election, where he is already outraising all of his opponents. Moore has over $250,000 cash-on-hand. There are currently no declared Democrats in the race.

Moore also has the benefit of coming from a prominent political family in West Virginia. He is the nephew of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.). And next year Moore will be on the ballot with cousin Moore Capito, the senator’s son, who is also running for West Virginia governor.