West Virginia Governor Jim Justice (R) and US Senator Joe Manchin (L), Democrat of West Virginia, attend a roundtable discussion on the opioid epidemic with local and state officials at the Cabell-Huntington Health Department in Huntington, West Virginia, July 8, 2019.
Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images
West Virginia’s Republican Gov. Jim Justice filed official paperwork to kick off a 2024 campaign for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
A senior source close to the governor’s office confirmed that Justice’s campaign filed with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday.
The long-anticipated move by Justice, who switched parties in 2017 and has since become one of the red state’s most popular politicians, could further imperil Democrats’ efforts to keep their slim majority in the Senate.
Manchin, one of the chamber’s most conservative Democrats, has said he won’t decide whether to run for reelection until closer to the end of the year, regardless of Justice’s plans. His seat is considered one of the most winnable for Republicans in next year’s election.
If Manchin decides not to run for a third term, Democrats are widely expected to lose the seat to whichever Republican nominee emerges from West Virginia’s Senate primary. Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.V. who was backed by former President Donald Trump in his most recent House election, has already jumped into the Senate race.
But victory is hardly a guarantee for Manchin if he does try to hold onto the seat. Despite his incumbent advantage, his hefty war chest and his reputation for breaking with fellow Democrats, Manchin’s party affiliation may too great an obstacle to overcome in a state that voted for Trump by nearly 40 points in 2020.
Manchin won his last Senate race in 2018 by just three percentage points. With his seat under threat, Manchin has appeared increasingly critical of President Joe Biden and his own party.
Justice, who is term limited as governor, had been strongly encouraged to run for Senate by top Republicans, including NRSC Chair Sen. Steve Daines of Montana and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
Source link: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/27/jim-justice-running-for-joe-manchins-senate-seat-in-2024.html