Tuesday marks a crucial night for the GOP on the 2018 primaries calendar, as party leaders look towards November in the hope of unseating vulnerable West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
In Washington, Republicans are hoping either Rep. Evan Jenkins or the state’s attorney general Patrick Morrisey wins the nomination — but they’re concerned about seemingly extensive support for Don Blankenship, a former coal baron who was convicted of conspiring to violate federal safety rules after a mine disaster killed 29 people. All three leading Republicans in the primary have distanced themselves from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, but Blankenship has blasted him as “Cocaine Mitch” and said McConnell has gotten rich because of his “China family.” (Mitch McConnell’s wife is Elaine Chao, the secretary of transportation, whose father immigrated from China.)
Don Blankenship won’t rule out third-party bid in West Virginia
President Trump has urged Republicans in the state not to vote for Blankenship, citing his inability to win the general election in November. Manchin is a moderate Democrat in a state that has become increasingly Republican, but still enjoys popularity in the state.
Polls close at 7:30 p.m. EDT in the Mountain State.
