Joe Manchin, Other Top West Virginia Democrats, Skipping Convention

Don’t look for many top West Virginia Democrats at the Democratic National Convention:

Three prominent West Virginia Democrats said Monday that they would skip the party’s national convention in Charlotte, N.C., this September over concerns that links to the party could hurt their re-election chances.

Sen. Joe Manchin, Rep. Nick Rahall, and Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin all said they would avoid the convention, according to the West Virginia Metro News.

I intend to spend this fall focused on the people of West Virginia, whether that’s representing them in my official U.S. Senate duties or here at home, where I can hear about their concerns and ideas to solve the problems of this great nation,” said Manchin in a statement. “I will remain focused on bringing people together for the next generation, not the next election.”

The announcements come after Manchin and Tomblin both indicated earlier this year that they were not sure they would personally support President Obama’s re-election effort.
“The people in West Virginia, they basically look at the candidates — whatever you’re running for, whether it be the president itself, or whatever — [they look at] the performance and the result that’s been attained,” Manchin told the National Journal in April. “Right now in West Virginia, these first three and a half years haven’t been that good to West Virginia. So, then you look [at] what the options will be, who will be on the other end.”

Tomblin reiterated that he had not decided who to back in November when discussing his decision to opt out of attending the convention.

“As he has said, he has serious problems with both Governor Romney and President Obama,” Tomblin campaign spokesman Chris Stadleman told the Metro News. “The Governor feels that his time is best spent working in West Virginia to move our state forward instead of attending a four-day political rally in North Carolina.”

All of this will no doubt add to the speculation about whether or not Manchin may jump ship if the Senate changes hands in November.

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Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. Tsar Nicholas says:

    Not surprising. Swimming in the loopy pool is fine if you live in Loopyville, but when you represent salt of the earth people who actually work for their livings it’s a badge of dishonor. Regarding Manchin in 2013, I’d say it’s overwhelmingly likely that if the GOP winds up at 51 seats he’ll go ahead and officially make the switch, especially if Romney prevails.

  2. al-Ameda says:

    @Tsar Nicholas:

    I’d say it’s overwhelmingly likely that if the GOP winds up at 51 seats he’ll go ahead and officially make the switch, especially if Romney prevails.

    He really is a craven slime.
    Let me amend that to, “he really is slime,” craven was unnecessary.

  3. Bennett says:

    @Tsar Nicholas: Which explains why WV is always in the top 10 of welfare recipients per capita I imagine.

  4. wr says:

    @Tsar Nicholas: ” Swimming in the loopy pool is fine if you live in Loopyville, but when you represent salt of the earth people who actually work for their livings it’s a badge of dishonor.”

    I live in Southern California and I work for my living. Who the hell are you that makes you so smug that you casually slander anyone who isn’t you? “Zombieland,” “loopy pool.” Apparently everyone who isn’t you is scum.

    So now I’d really like to know: Who are you and what makes you so special?