Politics

Joe Manchin Is Running Scared

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Robert Donachie Capitol Hill and Health Care Reporter
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Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia urged his colleagues on the Senate floor Tuesday afternoon to come together and not campaign against a sitting senator in the upcoming November election cycle.

“I’m pledging to the people of West Virginia and to the American people that I will not campaign against a sitting colleague. I will not direct fundraise against them. I will not distribute any direct maim against them. I will not appear or endorse any advertisements directed at them and I will not use or endorse social media campaigns that attack them. Washington will be dysfunctional until we all draw the line of truth and say we’re here for the same reason,” Manchin said Tuesday on the Senate floor.

The West Virginia senator is asking his colleagues to sign a pledge, consisting of an agreement to not campaign, directly fund or distribute any direct email against sitting senators in the upcoming cycle. The pledge also asks that senators not appear in any campaign or social media ads campaigning for or against colleagues.

Manchin—the most conservative Democrat in the Senate—announced in late January that he will seek re-election this year after months of stopping short of making a formal decision.

Vice President Mike Pence hit Manchin last week on Twitter for voting against the Republican tax reform bill, claiming he personally lobbied the senator to vote in favor the legislation.

“. voted no to give working families more of your hard-earned money. Joe voted no on tax cuts. Joe voted no time and again on the policies that West Virginia needs. ,” the vice president tweeted.

Manchin is currently sitting pretty in the polls, holding a 14-22 percentage point lead against GOP challenger Patrick Morrisey.

President Donald Trump won West Virginia decidedly in the 2016 presidential election, claiming 68 percent of the vote. The state’s governor also left the Democratic Party in August to become a Republican.

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Tags : joe manchin
Robert Donachie