Labor, business push Manchin to appoint self

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Politico:

The “Draft Joe” movement has begun.

Top West Virginia labor and business leaders are calling on Gov. Joe Manchin– who local Democrats say is highly interested in running for Senate—to reverse course and appoint himself to the seat held by the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.).

“We just strongly believe that he’s the right person and we would certainly encourage him to reconsider that decision and in fact appoint himself,” said Larry Matheney, the secretary and treasurer of the West Virginia AFL-CIO.

Manchin spokesman Sara Payne reiterated Saturday evening the governor’s previous statement that he would not appoint himself to the seat, and she added that he will not discuss the succession plan until the middle of next week. But that has not stopped some of Manchin’s strongest supporters and political allies in the state from saying the popular governor should go to the Senate sooner rather than later by placing himself in the now-vacant Senate seat.

Matheney said the executive board of the West Virginia AFL-CIO passed a resolution last Tuesday asking Manchin to appoint himself “as soon as possible.” But he said the union has kept the resolution quiet until now out of respect for Byrd, and plans to go to the governor’s office Tuesday morning to deliver the resolution in person and try to change the governors’ mind about appointing himself.

"We did in fact pass a resolution from our executive board asking Gov. Manchin to appoint himself as soon as possible following the burial of our dear Senator Byrd,” Matheney said. “We at least believe that it would be in West Virginia’s best interest to fill that vacancy as soon as possible with someone of Gov. Manchin’s character and we do believe he would carry on the ideals of Senator Byrd.”
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I actually think Manchin's been a decent governor, but I hope he turns them down and we have an election instead. It's a Senate seat, not a royal title.