WV-SEN 2018: Haunted Manchin

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

It will be hard to knock off Manchin in a Republican-trifecta midterm. West Virginia is a dependent state and Manchin is more in favor bringing money into the state than any Republican. Plus, it's a Medicaid expansion state and there are plenty of people who cannot afford to lose their health care.

People are tired of Manchin, but I largely agree with this. Manchin does have an image problem - a literal one. After the severe floods (my Uncle's 85 year old mother was stranded with her grandson and infant great-granddaughter for nearly an entire day on the side of a mountain) there last year, Manchin came, made sure his staffers got plenty of pictures, and then went and golfed at the Greenbrier.

Coming from a West Virginia family, I've heard this sentiment a lot. Yet Manchin does bring in a lot of badly needed bacon, and I have no idea if either opponent can take him down. I'll defer to POTUS on that one. He's our resident Mountaineer.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Lol Blakenships literally the devil to my relatives.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Lol Blakenships literally the devil to my relatives.

Haha bet they'd still vote for him cuz muh Democrats

Well, they wouldn't vote for Manchin after the floods, yes.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I think it's been mentioned here before but the WV-GOP is an underrated pick for worst state party. They are in power through forces completely out of their control.

Try the Arkansas and Tennessee Democrat Parties. ,

Nope FL Dems.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Lol Blakenships literally the devil to my relatives.

Haha bet they'd still vote for him cuz muh Democrats

Well, they wouldn't vote for Manchin after the floods, yes.

I'm vindicated.

That 'don't mean they're voting for Blakenshit either though.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

FWIW, I talked to my uncle today about this race. He's from WV originally, is a strong Trumpist, and instilled in our family a deep hatred of Blankenship and his practices. He's rooting for Blankenship now.

Why? He's become so disillusioned with the hypocrisy of the FBI/DoJ in regards to how they handled Trump/Clinton that he's become convinced that Blankenship's prosecution may have been political the whole time. And while I don't entirely agree, I can't help but think that a) that kind of thinking is more than justified even if I disagree in this individual case, b) I think many West Virginians agree.

These people aren't dumb hicks. The relative in question here spends his days driving a truck, and he listens to NPR, C-SPAN, and the SiriusXM channels literally all day. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of Russiagate's timeline that I envy, as I've long lost track of what all has transpired. He and his octogenarian mother who still lives up there talk about this stuff. This story isn't being ignored by Trump Country; quite the contrary, they're following it far more intensely than the opposition, and their rage is growing stronger.

It's part of the reason why I think that Trump will be reelected and that the midterms will largely be a draw. I'm actually beginning to think that Blankenship can actually win, in the sense that if he can win over my Uncle of all people, than he probably can win over enough swing voters to win in general.

Another thing to take into account is that Joe Manchin is unpopular, especially since he shamelessly used a thousand year flood for a bunch of photo-ops and a trip to the Greenbriar. His approvals are starting to drop off dramatically, and I think his attempt to portray himself as the real populist in the race is threatened by Blankenship in a way that Jenkins or Morrissey would envy.

Of course Blankenship is a criminal coal executive billionaire and a complete fraud, but whatever. If there is anything I've learned about politics from observing and participating, its the economy message stupid! Trump is living proof that a proper message can overcome even the most odious character flaws.

I don't think Blankenship is another Roy Moore though. Roy Moore's scandals came out after he won the primary. I think Blakenship, like Trump, has already aired out his dirty laundry.

TL;DR: A bunch of anecdotal regurgitations of what my relatives up there are thinking and what the informal consensus in (at least their immediate) bubble is like.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Should we, err, change the name of this thread? Unless Mountain Mama is referring to Manchin in drag.

"Mountain Mama" is to West Virginia what "dark and satantic mills" are to England.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

No sh**t Manchin doesn’t like Trump. If he’s fortunate enough to be re-elected, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him turn a 180 and go full on Claire McCaskill in his voting behavior. I doubt he’ll run again in 2024

Apparently Manchin also hates Mitch McConnell more than perhaps any other Senator, lol.

That has something to do about WVU football IIRC.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Manchin has flirted with leaving the Senate to be Governor again at least a few times IIRC. I doubt he does it.