West Virginia Senate candidate Don Blankenship said Tuesday night that he believes President Donald Trump’s tweet against him may have cost him the election.
Blankenship, who was running in a deep primary of Republican candidates, built his campaign on attacking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Elaine Chao. Blankenship particularly went after their Chinese family. (RELATED: Don Blankenship Releases New Ad Attacking Mitch McConnell’s ‘China Family’)
President Trump urged West Virginians to vote for other Republican candidates, insisting that Blankenship cannot win the general election and to “remember Alabama.”
“Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, can’t win the General Election in your State,” Trump tweeted on Monday.
To the great people of West Virginia we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, can’t win the General Election in your State…No way! Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2018
After West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey won the GOP nomination, Blankenship told The New York Times’ Trip Gabriel that he thinks the Trump tweet is to blame.
“[Don Blankenship] thinks Trump’s tweet cost him at least 10 points,” Gabriel tweeted Tuesday. “He led in internal polls by all 3 candidates after the May 1 debate, he claims.”
Blankenship added, “When you’re 84% positive like Trump is, it can be big.”
.@DonBlankenship tells me he thinks Trump’s tweet cost him at least 10 points. He led in internal polls by all 3 candidates after the May 1 debate, he claims.
Of the damage: “When you’re 84% positive like Trump is, it can be big.”
— Trip Gabriel (@tripgabriel) May 9, 2018