For the past two decades, Joe Manchin has been arguably the most popular politician in West Virginia, and perhaps even the entire country.
That’s how a Democrat has been able to win as a Governor and U.S. Senator in a state that has turned into one of the reddest in the nation.
But after Manchin stabbed his constituents in the back, one Republican who wants revenge is using the 2022 election cycle to prepare to make Manchin pay in 2024.
Manchin twisting the knife
For the length of his political career, Democrat Joe Manchin has played the part of a centrist.
His moderate act led him to high-profile roles as Governor and U.S. Senator from West Virginia.
In fact, at one point, his apparent willingness to work across the aisle and even buck his party leadership made him one of the most popular politicians in the entire country.
However, at the end of the day, he is still a Democrat, he voted for Chuck Schumer for Majority Leader, and more often than not, votes with his party.
Manchin was made a hero by many on the Right, when he became the gum holding up the works of President Joe Biden’s disastrous spending boondoggle, the so-called, “Build Back Better” bill.
However, the Biden administration, Schumer, and even Bill Gates spent months working over Manchin, trying to get him to change his mind.
In the end, Manchin agreed to a somewhat scaled-down version of “Build Back Better,” and he – along with Arizona Sen. Krysten Sinema – both voted in favor of the ironically named, “Inflation Reduction Act.”
The irony comes from the fact most economists agree the bill actually will increase inflation, not reduce it.
And so far, inflation has continued to rise since the passing of the spending monstrosity.
As part of the deal to get his vote, West Virginia was supposed to receive a pipeline that would have created jobs in the state.
Manchin’s 2024 outlook
However, the pipeline was nixed – meaning Manchin sold out his voters and didn’t even receive the pork-barrel spending he was promised for his state in return.
2024 West Virginia Senate Race:
Jim Justice (R) 47% (+15)
Joe Manchin (D-Inc) 32%
.
Patrick Morrisey (R) 50% (+14)
Joe Manchin (D-Inc) 36%
.
Alex Mooney (R) 45% (+7)
Joe Manchin (D-Inc) 38%Triton Polling & Research, 762 RV, 8/24-26https://t.co/XeZF69VZo1
— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) September 8, 2022
Manchin is safe in the 2022 Midterms, but he will be up for re-election in 2024.
The Mountain State’s Senior Senator now only scores 26% approval in his home state, with 66% of West Virginians saying they disapprove of their Senator.
As you can see in the polling detailed in the above tweet, Manchin is now in major trouble of losing his seat in two years.
Manchin now trails every one of his most likely 2024 opponents.
And the results aren’t even close.
Mooney vs. Manchin
According to the Triton Polling & Research survey from early September, Republican Rep. Alex Mooney leads Manchin by 7-points.
The Donald Trump-endorsed Rep. Mooney has a safe re-election race this cycle.
Instead of focusing on his Democrat challenger, the 73-year-old, openly-gay former substitute teacher, Democrat Barry Wendell – who has a vendetta against the coal industry – Mooney has his eyes set on Manchin.
The focus has increased speculation Mooney plans to run against Manchin in 2024 – assuming the Senator plans to run for re-election – and Mooney has done nothing to tamp down the speculation.
Mooney released a “Mooney for Congress” television advertisement solely targeting Manchin for voting for the so-called, “Inflation Reduction Act.”
“Suddenly, Joe Manchin is backing Joe Biden’s liberal agenda,” the narrator says in the ad. “Manchin is supporting legislation that will raise our taxes, tax our coal industry and devastate West Virginia communities. Alex Mooney won’t let Joe Manchin and Joe Biden destroy our coal industry and devastate West Virginia.”
Deplorable Daily will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
