CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) — The West Virginia Democratic Party (WVDP) released a statement on Tuesday after Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s announcement that he is running for governor, calling Morrisey a “political chameleon” and saying that his views on certain issues have changed drastically in the past few years.

Morrisey’s campaign focuses on his commitment to “West Virginia, conservative values,” including second amendment rights and defending families against “drugs and the woke, anti-freedom forces,” according to his campaign announcement.

The party pointed out in the release that Morrisey used to be a lobbyist for drug companies that he now works against.

“Before moving to West Virginia to run for office, he was a lobbyist for big drug companies in Washington, D.C.,” said Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin in the release. “As Attorney General, he’s had to recuse himself from cases against companies pushing opioids in our state because he and his wife used to lobby for them.”

In his campaign announcement, Morrisey said his “conservative record that’s second to none.” But Pushkin pointed out that when Morrisey ran for office in his home state of New Jersey, he claimed to support their values, which are much different from West Virginia’s values.

“He opposed Donald Trump for President in 2016 but now he wants you to believe Trump is his best friend,” Pushkin said. “When he ran for congress in New Jersey he opposed a constitutional amendment to ban abortion, but now running in West Virginia he says he’s pro-life.

“The Morrisey family lobbying firm earned close to a quarter of a million dollars in lobbying fees fighting for gun control and against the NRA, but now he says he’s a second amendment champion.”

Other 2024 governor candidates include Secretary of State Mac Warner (R), Del. Moore Capito (R-Kanawha County), State Auditor J.B. McCuskey (R), and Chris Miller (R).