(John Ransom, Headline USA) Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. has cut a campaign ad defending a Republican candidate for Congress against charges that he supported President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better spending program.
“I have always said, if I can’t go home and explain it, I can’t vote for it, and that’s why I opposed Build Back Better,” Manchin said in a 30-second spot this weekend, according to Fox News.
Manchin then went on to defend Rep David McKinley, R-W.Va., who is running against Trump ally Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., as the two current congressman vie for the nomination in West Virginia’s new 2nd Congressional district.
“David McKinley has always opposed reckless spending because it doesn’t make sense for West Virginia,” Manchin said about McKinley’s opposition to Build Back Better, reported the UK’s Guardian.
Just as Ds embark on last-ditch effort to salvage BBB pieces, Manchin cut an ad for Rep. David McKinley (https://t.co/pketUp5tpD.) emphasizing opposition to original House bill:
“I’ve always said if I can’t go home to explain it, I can’t vote for it”
pic.twitter.com/OOTiTDq040— Joseph Zeballos-Roig (@josephzeballos) May 1, 2022
In the 2020 census West Virginia lost one congressional district, going from three districts to two, which is why McKinley and Mooney are running against each other.
In a five way race, McKinley has a slight lead over Mooney according to a poll done by North Star Opinion Research, 38 to 33 percent respectively.
“We found that, while Congressmen David McKinley and Alex Mooney are similarly known to voters, McKinley enjoys a modest lead and the potential to grow once voters learn more about his consistent work on behalf of the state’s voters,” wrote North Star Opinion Research pollsters Dan Judy and Jon McHenry, according to the Weirton Daily Times.
The language of the pollster, however, suggests that the poll was commissioned on behalf of McKinley.
In the Manchin ad, the West Virginia Senator pulls no punches, calling Trump an out-of-state supporter and a liar.
“For Alex Mooney and his out-of-state supporters to suggest David McKinley supported Build Back Better is an outright lie,” said Manchin.
“Alex Mooney has proven he’s all about Alex Mooney. But West Virginians know David McKinley is all about us,” concluded the independent Democrat, who crossed Biden on Build Back Better and thereby killed the legislation prized by Democrats.
In West Virginia, unaffiliated voters may vote in either the Democrat or the Republican primary, according to Ballotopedia, which could make the Manchin support more valuable for McKinley.
