Babydog, Sen. Jim Justice’s adorable plump pooch, has her ‘testimony’ entered into Congressional Record: ‘She humanizes us’
It was a rare moment of true bi-pawtisanship in the Senate.
Babydog the English bulldog appeared at a Senate Energy Committee hearing Thursday in a lighthearted moment that brought smiles across the aisle.
The beloved pooch of Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va) even had her “testimony” admitted to the Congressional Record “without objection” after the Mountain State Republican held her aloft at the microphone to deliver a unifying message as her proxy.
“This little rascal has done something that I think is really important to all of us. All of us on this committee … all of us across this city. She humanizes us,” Justice said as Babydog panted into the microphone seemingly in approval, her wrinkled brow and the stoic expression on her jowly visage punctuating the junior senator’s words.
“I didn’t intend in any way to be hauling a bulldog around. No way on Earth. We never owned a bulldog before. She’s not supposed to like everybody, but she does. And with that being said, how can a message be any better?” he continued.
“She would say just this: If you’re rich or poor, or a kid or an adult, or, God forbid a Republican or a Democrat, she still loves you,” he said on her behalf.
“Thank you, Senator Justice, Babydog’s testimony will be admitted into the record without objection,” said committee chairman Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), drawing laughs from the audience.
Babydog, 5, whom Justice has tongue-in-cheek anointed the “101st senator,” has become something of an unofficial Capitol Hill mascot in recent weeks, appearing at a handful of committee hearings and even on the Senate floor.
She rose to fame after an appearance at the 2024 Republican National Convention. Her X page, which chronicles her exploits around West Virginia as she tags along with Justice — including a recent visit to a southern region of the state devastated by flooding — has more than 10,000 followers.
Justice has described Babydog as “a little rascal who looks like a brown watermelon that loves everybody.” According to her , she loves chicken nuggets from Wendy’s and hates celery.
