Minutes after securing reelection Tuesday night, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin took a harsher tone against President Donald Trump, blasting him for the failure of his Republican challenger, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, an ardent White House ally.
Manchin barbed the president for not being able to get Morrisey over the finish line despite the state having voted for Trump by a margin of more than 40 points in 2016.
“Let me say that I never expected that this race would be the national race it turned out to be,” Manchin said in his victory speech. “I never expected President Trump to come to this state as much as he did, sending Vice President Pence, sending his family, time after time. And you stood tall.
“I’m not angry because he came here so many times,” Manchin said of Trump’s repeated visits to West Virginia to stump for Morrisey. “Why should he be angry that I’m telling the truth? I don’t think so.”
Manchin had previously railed against Vice President Mike Pence for coming to West Virginia, describing him as a “junkyard dog” doing Trump’s bidding.
“I know Mike Pence, and he’s just, I guess, doing his job,” Manchin said. “He’s a junkyard dog right now, I guess. He has to go out and do it.” – READ MORE