WV-SEN 2018: Haunted Manchin

[RINO Tom]

God, Republicans are such frauds.  They have absolutely nothing to offer to their constituents other than appealing to their cultural grievances.  And that ad proves it.

I'm inclined to think Jenkins will win, though.  Why would people vote for Republican-lite if they can have the real thing?

Well, I mean, they might prefer "Republican-lite" (though I'll echo TN Vol's opinion that Manchin is not "Republican-lite").

[RINO Tom]

Apparently Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is likely to enter as well. Who would win that primary battle?

Probably Jenkins.

(I know nothing about the candidates at all, but...) Didn't one of our WV posters one time say that because WV has closed primaries and such a huge Democratic registration advantage, the GOP primary electorate isn't markedly more socially conservative than the Democratic one, usually yielding relatively moderate GOP candidates?

[RINO Tom]

Can someone elaborate on why one Republican would give Manchin fits and the other one would be toast?  I know nothing about these candidates.

[RINO Tom]

Governor Jim Justice (R-WV) says he supports Joe Manchin.

http://wvmetronews.com/2017/09/20/governor-justice-now-republican-tells-republicans-he-supports-manchins-senate-bid/

Goddamn RINO.

But really... LOL

[RINO Tom]

Did anyone actually read the article? He said he was close friends with Joe Manchin, had been for 20 years, and was 'going to go off of what Donald Trump did' while simultaneously praising both Jenkins and Morrissey. The guy switched parties (not brains or beliefs) six weeks ago.

So no, he neither indicated he was supporting Manchin not did he indicate an endorsement. And I doubt he will lose or even be seriously challenged in a primary three years down the line, given how close he is with Trump and how popular Trump is there.

History says that politicians who switch parties tend to magically switch both brains AND beliefs.

[RINO Tom]

Breaking news: Steve Bannon endorses Patrick Morrisey.

Odd. Jenkins strikes me as the "Trumpier" candidate being an ex-Dem and all

Jenkins is more establishment, regardless of his policies or party history.

Right, but Jenkins is known to be populist on the issues, and that, and his status as a former Dem plays really well in WV. Saying "I'm more conservative" will NOT help in a WV primary. Also, Morrisey is a former lobbyist, ran for Congress in NJ in 2000, and used to work for Christine Todd Whitman, a VERY liberal Republican. I'd like to see what his policies are. Maybe he's evolved (especially since he's picked up Bannon's endorsement). We'll see, but I think Jenkins is more electable, and I'm sticking with him, at least for now.

A huge chunk of the people that'd appeal to are just simply not Republicans and will have zero say in the primary, though.  That's not some comment on party realignment or what I want the GOP, it's the simple fact that there are still way, way more registered Democrats in this closed primary state, and the majority of people you described are still Democrats.  WV's GOP primary electorate arguably resembles a GOP of the 1990s as much as it does Trump's voter base...

[RINO Tom]

LOL, gotta give it to him, that was a nice comeback.

[RINO Tom]

Yeah, I think Manchin wins by 7-8%.

[RINO Tom]

Self-described "Blue Dog" - whose signature shows concern about there being "few left" of said Blue Dogs - is obsessed with the idea of Manchin (D-WV) losing a race that he's been winning for months, LMFAO.