West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is running for Joe Manchin's pivotal Senate seat

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: CNBC News

POLITICS

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is running for Joe Manchin’s pivotal Senate seat

PUBLISHED THU, APR 27 2023 * 10:17 AM EDT

Kevin Breuninger
@KEVINWILLIAMB
https://twitter.com/KevinWilliamB

West Virginia’s Republican Gov. Jim Justice filed official paperwork to kick off a 2024 campaign for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. ... A senior source close to the governor’s office confirmed that Justice’s campaign filed with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday.

The long-anticipated move by Justice, who switched parties in 2017 and has since become one of the red state’s most popular politicians, could further imperil Democrats’ efforts to keep their slim majority in the Senate.

Manchin, one of the chamber’s most conservative Democrats, has said he won’t decide whether to run for reelection until closer to the end of the year, regardless of Justice’s plans. His seat is considered one of the most winnable for Republicans in next year’s election.

If Manchin decides not to run for a third term, Democrats are widely expected to lose the seat to whichever Republican nominee emerges from West Virginia’s Senate primary. Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.V. who was backed by former President Donald Trump in his most recent House election, has already jumped into the Senate race.

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Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/27/jim-justice-running-for-joe-manchins-senate-seat-in-2024.html

[Marthe48]

1. I can hope they both lose, can't I?

n/t

[marble falls]

4. Only if another Democrat can win.

[jimfields33]

5. I think Manchin will run for governor

[Walleye]

2. Well let's hope the trumpy candidate gets in, I don't think he could beat Justice

[Scrivener7]

3. That's not good. Hate him if you will, but we need Manchin.

[peppertree]

6. +1

The alternative is Buford T. Justice - but without the laughs.

[aeromanKC]

7. Manchin will go down as one of my favorite Senators

It was like stealing a Senate seat for the past 12 years (and not some fluke'ish 2 years like we had from Alabama) And to think of all the bills that became laws that otherwise wouldn't or shouldn't have but they did because we had a Democratic Senator from one of the most fucking MAGAt states in the country. This Bud Light is for you Senator Manchin.

[comradebillyboy]

13. Excellent observation.+++++

[DemocraticPatriot]

22. And what about the OTHER GREAT Democratic initiatives that could NOT become law,

because Manchin stood in the way?


I hear what you're saying, but NO WAY does screwing the Democrats on some very important initiatives such as voting rights protections, make him "my favorite US Senator"...

Furthermore, West Virginia was once a reliably Democratic state. Manchin said nothing and did nothing to try to prevent or slow its descent into rabid MAGAtism.

[ToxMarz]

8. I dream of a time when there are enough good people elected to congress

that everything does not 'pivot' around the likes of Manchin and Synema.

[padah513]

9. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if Manchin switched

[Shipwack]

12. There's nothing in it for Manchin if he switched.

Have you seen how he is serenaded and kow-towed to? Biden got his wife a cushy job, he gets to dictate major policies, etc...

If he switched, he'd go from kingmaker to just another small fish in the pond.

I wouldn't even bet money on the Republicans backing him the first time he came up for re-election as a R.

[Happy Hoosier]

15. To what end?

I doubt he could beat Justice in a head to head match-up.

He would lose the GOP primary.

[padah513]

18. I disagree. Manchin has been leaning more and more Republican of late.

He knew Justice was coming for his seat, and switching parties now would give him a bit of a leg up on the competition. I too doubt it would work, but being the incumbent with an R behind his name would give him a slight advantage over any other candidate.

[radius777]

20. Manchin voted to impeach Trump twice,

he would never survive a Republican primary.

[ificandream]

19. He could and easily. He has the incumbant advantage.

And given that he's fairly conservative, if he did switch, he'd be a shoe-in.

[gatomedianoche]

10. GOP vs DINO

For all his faults, Manchin is still a nominal Democrat who is preferable to any Republican. GOP primary will be a circular firing squad with Governor Justice facing an assortment of MAGA, QANON, and religious extremist opponents. Whoever faces Manchin will not be a better choice, far from it.

[LeftinOH]

11. Every single county in West Virginia went for Trump. WV voters can be

relied upon to make situation *even worse* -- I've been there many, many times. There ARE good, decent people in WV, but they are vastly outnumbered.

[Polybius]

14. Whether Manchin runs or not, the only difference it makes is how much we'll lose by

10 points or 30.

[elleng]

16. Not good, either/any way.

Sad to miss Senators Byrd and Rockefeller.

[LiberalLovinLug]

17. There has to be a way to win in another part of the country where we didn't before

So we don't have to count on his votes. Flip a different seat to make up for it. Add to that replacing the Sinema Show with an actual Democrat.

[radius777]

21. NC should be a place we could win,

but have come up just short in recent elections.

Also should've bounced Susan Collins in Maine - Biden won the state easily but the D candidate lost.