Does Richard Ojeda Stand A Chance?

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

I'm looking at ballotpedia and everyone is rating this as Likely to Safe R. But I'm thinking this is Lean R. This district and the state has gotten much more polarized, but they are still quite flexible, and Ojeda is a great candidate and fits this district like a glove. Still overall a Lean R, but it's definately in play, and I think it will be a race to watch. What do yall think?

[I’m not Stu]

I think he can win. Steve Williams also has a chance.

[Cactus Jack]

Ojeda is among the Democrats' top five recruits this cycle and West Virginia is a political bizarro world. He has a strong chance.

[_]

Tilt R, I'd vote for Ojeda.

[McGovernForPrez]

Ojeda is one hell of a candidate. I love the Facebook lives he does for his constituents. If Jenkins was still running I'd say lean R, but as an open seat I think this could be a tossup.

[Ye We Can]

A chance, yes.

[Figueira]

Maybe Likely R, closer to Lean than Safe?

[BuckeyeNut]

I was going to say this is Likely R at best, because incumbency is one Helluva climb, but if this is open, Lean R sees fair.

[Gone to Carolina]

Maybe Likely R, closer to Lean than Safe?

This. I'm rooting for Ojeda hard, and I think he's got a chance of winning, particularly if his Republican opponent is rather lackluster.

[McGovernForPrez]

I was going to say this is Likely R at best, because incumbency is one Helluva climb, but if this is open, Lean R sees fair.

It is. Jenkins is running for Senate.

[VPH]

Ojeda makes a bunch of anti-Manchin Facebook rants. I don't know that Ojeda as the nominee would be good for Manchin at all.

[Maxwell]

Ojeda makes a bunch of anti-Manchin Facebook rants. I don't know that Ojeda as the nominee would be good for Manchin at all.

even better. Manchin's legacy should not be respected.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Ojeda makes a bunch of anti-Manchin Facebook rants. I don't know that Ojeda as the nominee would be good for Manchin at all.

even better. Manchin's legacy should not be respected.

Manchin's been a really good Senator by West Virginia standards.

[Maxwell]

Ojeda makes a bunch of anti-Manchin Facebook rants. I don't know that Ojeda as the nominee would be good for Manchin at all.

even better. Manchin's legacy should not be respected.

Manchin's been a really good Senator by West Virginia standards.

circa 2017 standards with Republican Presidential candidates regularly winning 60%+ of the vote? sure. Almost any time before 2010? not even close.

And I say this every time - obviously Joe Manchin (D) is better than random lump of coal (R) anytime, and I give him some credit for being open to single payer the same way i give some credit to odious swamp monster Max Baucus (D) for doing the same. But that doesn't mean democrats or people on the left shouldn't be openly critical of Manchin's record.

I'd especially love it if it were proven that West Virginia Democrats didn't have to run as Manchin-ite Conservadems to win.

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Ojeda makes a bunch of anti-Manchin Facebook rants. I don't know that Ojeda as the nominee would be good for Manchin at all.

even better. Manchin's legacy should not be respected.

Manchin's been a really good Senator by West Virginia standards.

circa 2017 standards with Republican Presidential candidates regularly winning 60%+ of the vote? sure. Almost any time before 2010? not even close.

And I say this every time - obviously Joe Manchin (D) is better than random lump of coal (R) anytime, and I give him some credit for being open to single payer the same way i give some credit to odious swamp monster Max Baucus (D) for doing the same. But that doesn't mean democrats or people on the left shouldn't be openly critical of Manchin's record.

I'd especially love it if it were proven that West Virginia Democrats didn't have to run as Manchin-ite Conservadems to win.

Unless their opponent wants to put coal out of business, they are viked.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Ojeda makes a bunch of anti-Manchin Facebook rants. I don't know that Ojeda as the nominee would be good for Manchin at all.

even better. Manchin's legacy should not be respected.

Manchin's been a really good Senator by West Virginia standards.

circa 2017 standards with Republican Presidential candidates regularly winning 60%+ of the vote? sure. Almost any time before 2010? not even close.

And I say this every time - obviously Joe Manchin (D) is better than random lump of coal (R) anytime, and I give him some credit for being open to single payer the same way i give some credit to odious swamp monster Max Baucus (D) for doing the same. But that doesn't mean democrats or people on the left shouldn't be openly critical of Manchin's record.

I'd especially love it if it were proven that West Virginia Democrats didn't have to run as Manchin-ite Conservadems to win.

I credit Manchin for vocally supporting gun control legislation despite being from WV and being a solid vote whenever we really need him.  I wish we could run liberals in 2017/2018 WV and win too, but there's lierally no reason to assume that's the case right now.  Also, I could be misremembering, but isn't Ojeda well to the right of Manchin?

[McGovernForPrez]

Ojeda makes a bunch of anti-Manchin Facebook rants. I don't know that Ojeda as the nominee would be good for Manchin at all.

even better. Manchin's legacy should not be respected.

Manchin's been a really good Senator by West Virginia standards.

circa 2017 standards with Republican Presidential candidates regularly winning 60%+ of the vote? sure. Almost any time before 2010? not even close.

And I say this every time - obviously Joe Manchin (D) is better than random lump of coal (R) anytime, and I give him some credit for being open to single payer the same way i give some credit to odious swamp monster Max Baucus (D) for doing the same. But that doesn't mean democrats or people on the left shouldn't be openly critical of Manchin's record.

I'd especially love it if it were proven that West Virginia Democrats didn't have to run as Manchin-ite Conservadems to win.

I credit Manchin for vocally supporting gun control legislation despite being from WV and being a solid vote whenever we really need him.  I wish we could run liberals in 2017/2018 WV and win too, but there's lierally no reason to assume that's the case right now.  Also, I could be misremembering, but isn't Ojeda well to the right of Manchin?

I honestly don't know Ojeda's positions. I know he sponsored a bill to legalize medical Marijuana. Doesn't seem that conservative to me, but that obviously doesn't tell the whole story.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Ojeda makes a bunch of anti-Manchin Facebook rants. I don't know that Ojeda as the nominee would be good for Manchin at all.

even better. Manchin's legacy should not be respected.

Manchin's been a really good Senator by West Virginia standards.

circa 2017 standards with Republican Presidential candidates regularly winning 60%+ of the vote? sure. Almost any time before 2010? not even close.

And I say this every time - obviously Joe Manchin (D) is better than random lump of coal (R) anytime, and I give him some credit for being open to single payer the same way i give some credit to odious swamp monster Max Baucus (D) for doing the same. But that doesn't mean democrats or people on the left shouldn't be openly critical of Manchin's record.

I'd especially love it if it were proven that West Virginia Democrats didn't have to run as Manchin-ite Conservadems to win.

I credit Manchin for vocally supporting gun control legislation despite being from WV and being a solid vote whenever we really need him.  I wish we could run liberals in 2017/2018 WV and win too, but there's lierally no reason to assume that's the case right now.  Also, I could be misremembering, but isn't Ojeda well to the right of Manchin?

I honestly don't know Ojeda's positions. I know he sponsored a bill to legalize medical Marijuana. Doesn't seem that conservative to me, but that obviously doesn't tell the whole story.

I mean, Ojeda also endorsed Trump in 2016 and said he was voting for him even after the Access Hollywood tape came out.

[McGovernForPrez]

Ojeda makes a bunch of anti-Manchin Facebook rants. I don't know that Ojeda as the nominee would be good for Manchin at all.

even better. Manchin's legacy should not be respected.

Manchin's been a really good Senator by West Virginia standards.

circa 2017 standards with Republican Presidential candidates regularly winning 60%+ of the vote? sure. Almost any time before 2010? not even close.

And I say this every time - obviously Joe Manchin (D) is better than random lump of coal (R) anytime, and I give him some credit for being open to single payer the same way i give some credit to odious swamp monster Max Baucus (D) for doing the same. But that doesn't mean democrats or people on the left shouldn't be openly critical of Manchin's record.

I'd especially love it if it were proven that West Virginia Democrats didn't have to run as Manchin-ite Conservadems to win.

I credit Manchin for vocally supporting gun control legislation despite being from WV and being a solid vote whenever we really need him.  I wish we could run liberals in 2017/2018 WV and win too, but there's lierally no reason to assume that's the case right now.  Also, I could be misremembering, but isn't Ojeda well to the right of Manchin?

I honestly don't know Ojeda's positions. I know he sponsored a bill to legalize medical Marijuana. Doesn't seem that conservative to me, but that obviously doesn't tell the whole story.

I mean, Ojeda also endorsed Trump in 2016 and said he was voting for him even after the Access Hollywood tape came out.

Seems like the right move to me politically speaking. His district was 78-12 for Trump. I think I've seen some of his facebook videos expressing disappointment with Trump. I find it very hard to place him on a traditional left-right spectrum.

[Cactus Jack]

I find it very hard to place him on a traditional left-right spectrum.

A summary of West Virginia.

[Gone to Carolina]

Ojeda makes a bunch of anti-Manchin Facebook rants. I don't know that Ojeda as the nominee would be good for Manchin at all.

even better. Manchin's legacy should not be respected.

Manchin's been a really good Senator by West Virginia standards.

circa 2017 standards with Republican Presidential candidates regularly winning 60%+ of the vote? sure. Almost any time before 2010? not even close.

And I say this every time - obviously Joe Manchin (D) is better than random lump of coal (R) anytime, and I give him some credit for being open to single payer the same way i give some credit to odious swamp monster Max Baucus (D) for doing the same. But that doesn't mean democrats or people on the left shouldn't be openly critical of Manchin's record.

I'd especially love it if it were proven that West Virginia Democrats didn't have to run as Manchin-ite Conservadems to win.

I credit Manchin for vocally supporting gun control legislation despite being from WV and being a solid vote whenever we really need him.  I wish we could run liberals in 2017/2018 WV and win too, but there's lierally no reason to assume that's the case right now.  Also, I could be misremembering, but isn't Ojeda well to the right of Manchin?

I honestly don't know Ojeda's positions. I know he sponsored a bill to legalize medical Marijuana. Doesn't seem that conservative to me, but that obviously doesn't tell the whole story.

I mean, Ojeda also endorsed Trump in 2016 and said he was voting for him even after the Access Hollywood tape came out.

On the other hand Ojeda said on his Facebook page that he personally agrees with Sanders on healthcare among some other things.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Ojeda makes a bunch of anti-Manchin Facebook rants. I don't know that Ojeda as the nominee would be good for Manchin at all.

even better. Manchin's legacy should not be respected.

Manchin's been a really good Senator by West Virginia standards.

circa 2017 standards with Republican Presidential candidates regularly winning 60%+ of the vote? sure. Almost any time before 2010? not even close.

And I say this every time - obviously Joe Manchin (D) is better than random lump of coal (R) anytime, and I give him some credit for being open to single payer the same way i give some credit to odious swamp monster Max Baucus (D) for doing the same. But that doesn't mean democrats or people on the left shouldn't be openly critical of Manchin's record.

I'd especially love it if it were proven that West Virginia Democrats didn't have to run as Manchin-ite Conservadems to win.

I credit Manchin for vocally supporting gun control legislation despite being from WV and being a solid vote whenever we really need him.  I wish we could run liberals in 2017/2018 WV and win too, but there's lierally no reason to assume that's the case right now.  Also, I could be misremembering, but isn't Ojeda well to the right of Manchin?

I honestly don't know Ojeda's positions. I know he sponsored a bill to legalize medical Marijuana. Doesn't seem that conservative to me, but that obviously doesn't tell the whole story.

I mean, Ojeda also endorsed Trump in 2016 and said he was voting for him even after the Access Hollywood tape came out.

On the other hand Ojeda said on his Facebook page that he personally agrees with Sanders on healthcare among some other things.

And Manchin supports gun control measures despite being from West Virginia and Obamacare would've been repealed if Republicans held his Senate seat.  I don't really see how one can give Ojeda a pass while attacking Manchin as some sort of useless DINO (which he isn't, ftr).

[Figueira]

The thing about Manchin is that while he could probably afford to be more to the left on some issues, he's still a proven winner in West Virginia at the Senate level unlike literally every other non-retired Democrat in the state. I support Manchin for re-election not because "He's a conservadem therefore he can win" but because "he has won before therefore he can win." In a state like West Virginia, it's incredibly important to not take risks like that.

But yeah, he definitely can and should be criticized. I can see why Ojeda criticizing him might be counterproductive though.

[henster]

Ojeda just needs $$, this is why I'm annoyed with Q whether or not committees should back pro-life candidates and ofc they should. Ojeda may not be ideal on social issues but on economic issues he is there with Dems 90% of the time.

[McGovernForPrez]

Ojeda just needs $$, this is why I'm annoyed with Q whether or not committees should back pro-life candidates and ofc they should. Ojeda may not be ideal on social issues but on economic issues he is there with Dems 90% of the time.

I really like Ojeda's stance on abortion too. He says he's pro-life, when most Republicans are just pro-birth. He wants to make sure we have the social safety net in place for children born to financially struggling mothers. I'm sure he also supports giving out contraceptives as preventative measure too. He's honestly very reasonable.