Patrick Morrisey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patrick Morrisey
Morrisey in 2017
37th Governor of West Virginia
Incumbent
Assumed office January 13, 2025
Lieutenant	Randy Smith
Preceded by	Jim Justice
34th Attorney General of West Virginia
In office January 14, 2013 – January 13, 2025
Governor	Earl Ray Tomblin Jim Justice
Preceded by	Darrell McGraw
Succeeded by	JB McCuskey
Personal details
Born	Patrick James Morrisey (1967-12-21) December 21, 1967 (age 57) New York City, New York, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Denise Henry
Children	1
Residence	Governor's Mansion
Education	Rutgers University, New Brunswick (BA) Rutgers University, Newark (JD)
Signature

Patrick James Morrisey (born December 21, 1967) is an American politician and lawyer. He became the 37th governor of West Virginia in 2025. Before that, he was the 34th attorney general of West Virginia from 2013 to 2025.

Morrisey is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected state attorney general in 2012. He was the first Republican to hold that job since 1933. In 2018, he ran for the United States Senate but lost to Joe Manchin.

In 2024, Morrisey was elected governor. He won against Democratic candidate Steve Williams. He is the first Republican elected to a first term as governor since Arch A. Moore Jr. in 1968.

Early Life and School

Patrick Morrisey was born in Brooklyn, New York City. He grew up in Edison, New Jersey. His father worked for a steel company, and his mother was a nurse.

In high school, Morrisey ran cross-country and played tennis. He graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School / Bishop George Ahr High School in 1985.

In 1989, Morrisey graduated with honors from Rutgers University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and political science. He also earned his law degree from Rutgers School of Law–Newark in 1992.

Early Career in Law and Politics

Morrisey was involved in Republican politics from a young age. He worked on political campaigns in New Jersey. After law school, he opened his own law firm in 1992.

From 1995 to 1999, he worked at a national law firm called Arent Fox. There, he focused on health care and election law.

From 1999 to 2004, Morrisey worked for the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce. He helped with laws about public health and Medicare. In 2000, he ran for the United States House of Representatives in New Jersey.

From 2004 to 2012, Morrisey worked as a lawyer in Washington, D.C. He was a partner at two different law firms. He was known for his knowledge of health and drug laws.

Attorney General of West Virginia

In 2012, Morrisey ran for Attorney General of West Virginia. He won against the person who had held the job for a long time, Darrell McGraw. Morrisey became West Virginia's first Republican state attorney general since 1933. He started his term on January 14, 2013.

Important Lawsuits

As Attorney General, Morrisey was involved in many important legal cases.

Protecting the Environment

Morrisey's office filed several lawsuits against the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These lawsuits challenged rules that he believed went too far.

For example, in 2014, he joined other states to challenge the EPA's plan to regulate coal-fired power plants. This plan was part of then-President Barack Obama's efforts to address climate change. This led to a major court decision in 2016.

Healthcare Laws

In 2014, Morrisey sued the federal government over changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). His lawsuit was dismissed by the courts.

He also challenged the Clean Power Plan, which aimed to reduce carbon emissions. He argued that the plan gave too much power to the EPA. The U.S. Supreme Court later put a hold on the Clean Power Plan while the case was being reviewed.

Second Amendment Rights

Morrisey has supported gun rights. He filed legal papers in several lawsuits that challenged gun laws. He argued that some state laws made it too hard for people to carry firearms.

For example, he challenged laws in New York and New Jersey that required people to show a special need to carry a gun. He also argued against bans on certain types of firearms.

Immigration Policies

In 2017, Morrisey joined other state attorneys general. They asked President Donald Trump to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. Morrisey believed DACA was unconstitutional.

He also criticized policies that he felt put the interests of undocumented immigrants ahead of West Virginia families.

Other Key Issues

• Education: He supports programs that allow parents to use public funds for private school tuition. He also wants to focus on civics education.
• Sanctuary Cities: Morrisey led efforts to defend states' rights to ban sanctuary cities. These are cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
• Vaccination: Morrisey has issued orders to allow families to get religious exemptions from school vaccine rules.
• DEI Policies: He has worked to end DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies in state-run institutions.

Running for U.S. Senate in 2018

Morrisey at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference

On July 10, 2017, Morrisey announced he would run for the U.S. Senate. He wanted to win the seat held by Joe Manchin. In the Republican primary election, he won against other candidates.

In the main election, Joe Manchin defeated Morrisey. Manchin received 49.6% of the votes, and Morrisey received 46.3%.

Governor of West Virginia (2025–present)

On April 4, 2023, Morrisey announced he would run for governor of West Virginia in the 2024 election. He won the Republican primary. Then, he defeated Democratic candidate Stephen T. Williams, who was the mayor of Huntington.

On January 13, 2025, Morrisey became the governor of West Virginia. In March 2025, he spoke out against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). He was upset that West Virginia was not included in the men's basketball tournament. He called it a "miscarriage of justice."

As governor, Morrisey has continued to push for certain laws. He supports allowing religious exemptions for childhood vaccines. He also appeared with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at an event. They discussed changes to the SNAP benefits program.

Personal Life

Morrisey moved to Jefferson County, West Virginia in 2006. His wife, Denise Henry Morrisey, is a partner at a lobbying firm. Morrisey has one stepdaughter.

Election Results