West Virginia primary election sets stage for post-Manchin future

[Geee]

Washington Examiner

In ruby-red West Virginia, the primary election on Tuesday is expected to be where most of the action will take place this cycle, with critical races for governor and Congress hanging in the balance. 

A new wave of leadership is expected in the Mountain State, with open races for governor, Senate, and House set to generate a revolving door of familiar faces in West Virginia politics. Former President Donald Trump carried the state with nearly 69% of the vote in 2020, and after this election cycle, it’s likely West Virginia will be left with no Democrats in either chamber of Congress for the first time since 1921.  

“The thing about West Virginia is our primary election on Tuesday is effectively the election,” Sam Workman, the director of the West Virginia University Institute for Policy Research and Public Affairs, said.

Even after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) decided not to run for reelection in November, outside spending continued to grow in West Virginia. According to Open Secrets, the West Virginia Senate race is the fourth most expensive this primary season.

The least competitive race is the one on top of the ticket, in which President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are expected to win easily on Tuesday. Both have already sealed enough delegates for the Democratic and Republican Party nominations.