Republican West Virginia Rep. Alex Mooney declared on Tuesday that he will run for the seat now held by Senator Joe Manchin; the election will actually occur in 2024.
Manchin, who has been a member of the United States Senate for over a decade, told Fox News that he still has not made a “full decision” on whether to run for reelection in 2024.
Mooney, who has been a member of the U.S. House of Reps since early 2015, was recently re-elected to a second term in the 2022 midterm elections; he will almost certainly face competition in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat.
During an interview with the Associated Press, Mooney stated of Manchin, “I think I’ll beat him. Clearly, he’s been around a long time, knows a lot of people, has a large amount of money,” Mooney remarked, according to the source, adding that by launching early, he will have more time to fundraise. “I simply wish to make my intentions clear to everybody, including Joe Manchin.”
Previous President Donald Trump supported Mooney in 2021, ahead of the Republican primary election in 2022, in which Mooney beat fellow Republican Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia. Mooney, who declared his Senate candidacy during an appearance with MetroNews’ “Talkline,” stated that he’d like to connect with Trump again and solicit the former president’s support.
In an ad released ahead of the GOP primaries earlier this year, Manchin endorsed McKinley over Mooney. “Alex Mooney has demonstrated that he is entirely focused on Alex Mooney. But West Virginians understand that David McKinley is all about them” Manchin stated in the advertisement.
Democrats held hold to possession of the Senate chamber during the 2022 midterm elections, but the GOP appeared to have secured a majority in the House.
I think it’s time for Manchin to take a break from politics. Let someone else c what they can do.
Manchin knows he’s toast the next time he’s up for reelection. Those stupid hillbillies need to get their heads outta their asses and vote him out.
Need fresh blood in place off old rich puppets. Joe M sold the people out. To many puppets in government and we work for them. Time to get ones in Governor who actually work for us again. I say let their citizens have authority to knock them out of office if they feel they have been taken by their senators or representatives. Time to have American people to judge our government employees and I mean them all. No retirement money either because they all walk out ten times richer then they began.