Tomblin was sworn in as Acting Governor on November 16, 2010. He became the interim Governor of West Virginia when current Governor Joe Manchin resigned to fill the United States Senate seat of the late Senator Robert C. Byrd.

On November 8, 2010, Tomblin announced that he would act as both acting governor of West Virginia and senate president, while turning over the day-to-day running of the senate to Senate Pro Tempore Joe Minard (D-Harrison). “Our Constitution and our laws contemplate a clear and organized transfer of power,” said Tomblin. “The Constitution states that, when a vacancy arises in the offices of governor, the senate president shall act as governor until a vacancy is filled. Throughout my tenure as Senate President, I have always been mindful of this responsibility.”

Tomblin was ineligible to seek re-election in 2016 due to term limits.

Economic Development and Commerce Committee

In October 2013, Tomblin was appointed Vice Chair of the Economic Development and Commerce Committee in the National Governors Association by NGA Chair Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and NGA Vice Chair Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper.

Coal

Tomblin refused to endorse fellow Democrat Barack Obama in his re-election campaign in 2012 due to what Tomblin called the federal government's "war on coal." After taking office in November 2010, Tomblin continued the lawsuit started by the Manchin administration against the EPA for "usurping authority of state DEP to regulate mining." As governor, he led rallies in support of coal and continued to attack the EPA for regulations he saw as federal overreach. In May 2011, Tomblin joined Division of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Joe Miller to unveil the Friends of Coal license plate.

A number of other high-ranking Democrats joined with Tomblin in 2013 in opposing new emission rules put forth by the EPA. Tomblin wrote, "The EPA’s proposed limits on greenhouse gas emissions threaten the livelihood of our coal miners to the point of killing jobs and crippling our state and national economies, while also weakening our country’s efforts toward energy independence."

Tomblin was endorsed by the West Virginia Coal Association, who stated, “Gov. Tomblin is a son of the coalfields. He knows coal and West Virginia’s 63,000 coal mining families are in a very real sense his family,” White said. “He knows how important it is to have a job, to pay your bills and provide for your children. He has always stood with us...not just as a ‘friend’ of coal but as one of us."

Food tax

On June 30, 2013, Tomblin announced that the state sales tax on food would be completely eliminated on July 1, stating, “For too long West Virginians have been burdened by a regressive tax on one of life’s basic necessities. The elimination of the food tax allows families to keep more of their hard-earned money.”

Tomblin, in his position as President of the Senate at the time, began the phase out of the 6 percent food tax in 2005 with then-Gov. Joe Manchin. It was reduced to 3 percent in 2008 and 1 percent in 2012. In 2011, Tomblin signed legislation to completely eliminate the tax by July 1, 2013.

It was estimated that residents saved $162 million a year since the beginning of the phase-out. The food tax began in 1989 at a time when the state was $230 million in debt.

Job approval rating

A May 2013 survey by Republican strategist Mark Blankenship showed Tomblin's job approval rating at 69 percent, unchanged from two months earlier. Additionally, the poll showed only three percent of voters blamed him for job losses in the state, while 49 percent blamed President Obama.

“I’m very pleased and happy to have those kinds of approval ratings,” Tomblin stated.

A nonpartisan study conducted for the Daily Mail by R.L. Repass and Partners found Tomblin with a 51 percent job approval rating.

Job creation ranking

A June 2013 analysis by The Business Journals ranked 45 governors based on the annual private sector growth rate in all 50 states using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Tomblin was ranked number 36 (tie). The five governors omitted from the analysis all assumed office in 2013.

Judicial appointments

As governor, Tomblin is responsible for appointing judges to West Virginia state courts. In West Virginia, the governor makes a judicial appointment to fill a vacancy. The judge serves the remainder of the unexpired term. For an up-to-date list of all of Tomblin's appointees, see .

Medicaid expansion

In early May 2013, Tomblin announced West Virginia would expand Medicaid coverage, an option under the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act. Under the plan approximately 91,500 additional state residents would become eligible for insurance coverage. Tomblin became the 27th governor to agree to the expansion. He said he based his decision on the financial analysis which showed the first decade of expansion would cost the state under $400 million, but bring in over $5 billion in federal funding.

Overseas efforts

In June 2012, Tomblin traveled to Japan in efforts to build business relationships. In October 2013, he spent 13 days in Europe promoting investment in the state. The trip included stops in Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. It was the first time a West Virginia Governor stopped in France.

Presidential endorsement

During Tomblin's bid for re-election in 2012, he refused to endorse President Barack Obama (D) for a second term, saying the president “has apparently made it his mission to drive the backbone of West Virginia’s economy, coal and the energy industry, out of business.” He went on to say, "As a loyal member of the Democratic Party and as governor for our state, I will continue to do everything I can, including suing the EPA, to get the president to change the misguided policies that are hurting West Virginians.”

Tomblin also refused to support Mitt Romney (R).

Supreme Court ruling

In early 2011, a Supreme Court battle ensued about when to elect the next Governor of West Virginia. Citizen Action Group and local attorney Thorton Cooper said the state Constitution and state code disagreed, and a special election for governor should be called quickly. Attorneys for Acting Gov. Tomblin and House Speaker Richard Thompson disagreed whether an election should be called. Secretary of State Natalie Tennant‘s legal counsel took a neutral position.

Kathryn Bayless, counsel for CAG, said only the court could require the Legislature and Tomblin to act, and that an election was needed as soon as possible. Bayless argued that article 7 section 16 of the Constitution is clear there “shall” be a “new” election for governor in event of an absence. “The people of West Virginia want a new election, and that is what the Constitution provides for,” Bayless said.

Stance on Syrian refugee resettlement

Main article: U.S. governors and their responses to Syrian refugees

After the attacks in Paris, France, on November 13, 2015, many U.S. governors declared their support or opposition to Syrian refugee resettlement in their states. Tomblin did not immediately take a stance on the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the state of West Virginia.

Tomblin was first elected to the West Virginia State Senate in 1980. He served as Senate President from 1995-2011.

Committee assignments

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Tomblin served on these committees:

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Tomblin served on these committees:

Prior to serving in the state senate, Tomblin was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1974, and then re-elected in 1976 and 1978.

In October 2013, Tomblin was appointed Vice Chair of the Economic Development and Commerce Committee in the National Governors Association by NGA Chair Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and NGA Vice Chair Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper.

Tomblin refused to endorse fellow Democrat Barack Obama in his re-election campaign in 2012 due to what Tomblin called the federal government's "war on coal." After taking office in November 2010, Tomblin continued the lawsuit started by the Manchin administration against the EPA for "usurping authority of state DEP to regulate mining." As governor, he led rallies in support of coal and continued to attack the EPA for regulations he saw as federal overreach. In May 2011, Tomblin joined Division of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Joe Miller to unveil the Friends of Coal license plate.

A number of other high-ranking Democrats joined with Tomblin in 2013 in opposing new emission rules put forth by the EPA. Tomblin wrote, "The EPA’s proposed limits on greenhouse gas emissions threaten the livelihood of our coal miners to the point of killing jobs and crippling our state and national economies, while also weakening our country’s efforts toward energy independence."

Tomblin was endorsed by the West Virginia Coal Association, who stated, “Gov. Tomblin is a son of the coalfields. He knows coal and West Virginia’s 63,000 coal mining families are in a very real sense his family,” White said. “He knows how important it is to have a job, to pay your bills and provide for your children. He has always stood with us...not just as a ‘friend’ of coal but as one of us."

On June 30, 2013, Tomblin announced that the state sales tax on food would be completely eliminated on July 1, stating, “For too long West Virginians have been burdened by a regressive tax on one of life’s basic necessities. The elimination of the food tax allows families to keep more of their hard-earned money.”

Tomblin, in his position as President of the Senate at the time, began the phase out of the 6 percent food tax in 2005 with then-Gov. Joe Manchin. It was reduced to 3 percent in 2008 and 1 percent in 2012. In 2011, Tomblin signed legislation to completely eliminate the tax by July 1, 2013.

It was estimated that residents saved $162 million a year since the beginning of the phase-out. The food tax began in 1989 at a time when the state was $230 million in debt.

A May 2013 survey by Republican strategist Mark Blankenship showed Tomblin's job approval rating at 69 percent, unchanged from two months earlier. Additionally, the poll showed only three percent of voters blamed him for job losses in the state, while 49 percent blamed President Obama.

“I’m very pleased and happy to have those kinds of approval ratings,” Tomblin stated.

A nonpartisan study conducted for the Daily Mail by R.L. Repass and Partners found Tomblin with a 51 percent job approval rating.

A June 2013 analysis by The Business Journals ranked 45 governors based on the annual private sector growth rate in all 50 states using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Tomblin was ranked number 36 (tie). The five governors omitted from the analysis all assumed office in 2013.

As governor, Tomblin is responsible for appointing judges to West Virginia state courts. In West Virginia, the governor makes a judicial appointment to fill a vacancy. The judge serves the remainder of the unexpired term. For an up-to-date list of all of Tomblin's appointees, see .