HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice announced he will switch his political party from Democrat to Republican at President Donald Trump’s rally Thursday evening.

Earlier Thursday, the New York Times reported Justice would announce the switch at the rally. House and Senate leadership say they will welcome Justice to the party.

“Democrats walked away from me. Now, today, I’ll tell you with lots of prayers and lots of thinking, I’ll tell you as West Virginians, I can’t help you anymore as (a) Democratic governor,” Justice said. “Tomorrow, I will change my registration to Republican.”

Justice said he had met with Trump multiple times in recent weeks before making the decision. Trump won West Virginia with nearly 69 percent of the vote in the 2016 election.

House Speaker Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, who was at the event, said he wants to welcome Justice to the Republican Party. He said he had only heard rumors of the switch before Thursday.

“I heard this driving down the interstate,” Armstead said. “I was hearing rumors that there were a couple of instances I heard he was going to do it at different events.”

He said he hopes the switch means a better working relationship, with Justice supporting the principles of the party.

“Republican principles are smaller government, more efficient government, lower taxes,” he said. “These are very basic principles in the Republican party and I would hope that …he will embrace those principles and we can work together.”

Armstead also released a statement Thursday night.

Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, also attended the rally. In a statement, Carmichael said he is pleased with Justice’s decision.

“We’re eager to work with Governor Justice to apply our team’s conservative principles to the executive branch and make a clean break from the status quo that has dominated the previous two administrations,” he said.

The Register-Herald in Beckley, West Virginia, and The Daily Independent in Ashland, Kentucky, contributed to this report.