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As West Virginians reeled from deadly flooding last month, a billionaire鈥檚 offer of shelter to 700 residents at the luxury resort he owns has put an unusual spin on the state鈥檚 race for governor.

Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains, The Greenbrier resort dates back to 1778 and 26 of the nation鈥檚 44 presidents. But in the wake of flooding on June 23 that killed 23 people, Jim Justice, the resort鈥檚 owner and the Democratic nominee for governor, closed the hotel for business and began offering it as a free shelter for residents forced from their homes.

Mr. Justice, who said he suspended his campaign for two weeks to focus on the flooding, But in a race against Republican Bill Cole, the state Senate president, that has been , the effort generated considerable goodwill among residents that could possibly have an effect on the political race.

鈥淐andidates have said things, made appeals or, normally, they criticize the response of elected officials, saying 鈥榠t鈥檚 too slow, it鈥檚 too little,鈥� and that鈥檚 how they win favor,鈥� Patrick Roberts, an associate professor of public policy professor at Virginia Tech who specializes in disaster politics, told the Associated Press. 鈥淏ut I can鈥檛 think of an instance where someone had the personal resources to really offer.鈥�

How they respond to a disaster can sometimes operate as a litmus test for a politician. President George W. Bush faced harsh criticism in 2005 for the delayed provision of federal aid to victims of hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

President Obama and New Jersey Gov. Christie Christie, by contrast, earned praise for putting aside political differences to work together after hurricane Sandy in 2012, though Mr. Christie鈥檚 has shifted over time.

Cory Booker, now a Democratic senator for New Jersey, likewise catapulted to become mayor of Newark (2006-2013) through a series of widely publicized acts of generosity, including bringing diapers to a mother of five kept inside by snowy streets.

But some, including the woman herself, said now-Senator Booker鈥檚 derring-do had eclipsed in the majority African-American still-struggling city.

鈥淚 have five kids and, trust me, I don鈥檛 just run out of Pampers. All we wanted was for him to plow our streets. It鈥檚 about knowing how to manage a city,鈥� Barbara Byers told Politico.

In West Virginia, Justice鈥檚 opening of the hotel, and his raising of $1.9 million in flood relief through his charity, have also won praise, the AP reports.

Mr. Cole, the Republican nominee, also focused on flood aid efforts, including securing tetanus shots and collecting 30 tons of goods for victims. He traveled into areas affected by the flood every day for two weeks and made some campaign appearances that had been previously scheduled, though focusing primarily on the flood, he told the Associated Press.

But his efforts received much less attention than those of his Democratic rival. The Greenbrier is located in an area that was hit hard by the flooding, forcing a slew of repairs and the cancellation of annual golf tournament on the grounds.

Announcing early last month, Justice didn鈥檛 mention his race for governor, though he spoke in front of a banner that read 鈥淕od bless the great people of West Virginia.鈥�

The event didn鈥檛 lack for drama, with Justice telling hotel employees, 鈥淲e are scarred, we are damaged, we are repairing, we will be back,鈥� and quoting a line from the 1996 movie 鈥淚ndependence Day,鈥� the Charleston Gazette-Mail reported.

Justice said he had never considered the storm鈥檚 impact on the political race. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 do many things from a standpoint of what I think would be politically correct,鈥� he told the AP. 鈥淔rom this standpoint, that hasn鈥檛 even entered my mind, honest to Pete.鈥�

Mr. Cole said he wasn鈥檛 criticizing Justice鈥檚 actions, but argued that his own efforts had been overshadowed. 鈥淚 really went out of my way not to publicize it,鈥� Cole told the AP, 鈥渢hen all of a sudden, it was, 鈥榃here are you?鈥� ... 鈥榃hy aren鈥檛 you doing something?鈥欌��

For residents hit hardest by the storm, however, the opening of The Greenbrier had a more immediate effect, providing them with a sense of community.

鈥� to put my emotions to words,鈥� Rex Sparks Jr., a Marine veteran living temporarily at the hotel, with his family told the Gazette Mail.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen a lot in the Marines, but nothing like this. All I can say is, thank you, Jim Justice. It means a lot.鈥�