Manchin backs union-friendly Dem mayor to succeed him
In a significant move for West Virginia Democrats, Senator Joe Manchin endorses Mayor Glenn Elliott of Wheeling for the state’s Democratic primary. Elliott, known for revitalizing the town and winning awards, aims to represent all West Virginians effectively. Manchin praised Elliott’s achievements and commitment to the state, supporting his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. In a noteworthy development for West Virginia Democrats, Senator Joe Manchin has endorsed Mayor Glenn Elliott of Wheeling for the state’s Democratic primary. Elliott, recognized for his town revitalization efforts and accolades, is dedicated to serving all West Virginians effectively. Senator Manchin commended Elliott’s accomplishments and loyalty to the state, endorsing his U.S. Senate candidacy.
In a critical move for Democrats in West Virginia, outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has made his endorsement choice in the state’s Democratic primary.
Manchin endorsed Glenn Elliott, mayor of Wheeling, West Virginia, in a video released by Elliott’s campaign on Monday.
In November of last year, Senator Joe Manchin made the rather surprising announcement that he would not seek re-election to the United States Senate in 2024. Within a few weeks, I had several friends and acquaintances across #WestVirginia reaching out to encourage me to enter… pic.twitter.com/4EVypK4DBm
— Glenn Elliott For Senate (@ElliottForWV) April 22, 2024
“Glenn has a proven track record of success as mayor of Wheeling,” Manchin said.
“He’s helped to revitalize downtown, create jobs, and lower the crime rate. He’ll be a United States senator that all West Virginians will be proud of, and that’s why I’m honored to endorse him in the May Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate,” he added.
Elliott is the mayor of a town of about 26,000 people and has served as mayor since 2016. He won the West Virginia Municipal League’s Mayor of the Year Award in 2022.
“Glenn will always fight for West Virginia and will put our country and our state before the bickering and pettiness of the partisan politics of Washington, D.C.,” Manchin said.
Elliott said he is a Democrat because he identifies as an underdog and believes that unions built the middle class. If Elliott wins the Democratic primary, he will likely face Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) or Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) in the general election.
Manchin announced he would not run for reelection in a West Virginia Senate seat that Republicans are looking to poach away from vulnerable Democrats. The state has voted Republican in every presidential election since 2000 but elected a pair of Democratic senators, Robert Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, who served from 1959 to 2010 and 1985 to 2015, respectively.
When those senators were elected, the state was much less decisive for Republicans and had swung between parties for years. But the last West Virginia Senate election saw voters elect and subsequently reelect Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).
Manchin long wooed voters in West Virginia after he won the governorship in 2005 and then won a special election for Byrd’s vacant U.S. Senate seat in 2010. Manchin has been able to appeal to Republican voters with his centrist style, which often puts him at odds with others in his party.
That centrist style is one Elliott will likely have to adopt to win the favor of West Virginians. He said, like Manchin, he is not afraid to speak out against proposals from his party he doesn’t think are best for West Virginia.
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Elliott thinks the state’s recent Republican record is because West Virginians feel ignored by the government.
“This part of the country is called flyover country for a reason — people often disregard us,” Elliott said. “And I think a lot of West Virginians feel like they’ve been talked down to, ignored.”
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