Don Blankenship Vows to Tank GOP’s Chances to Win West Virginia Senate Seat

Despite losing the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in West Virginia Tuesday, Don Blankenship no doubt still enjoys some support in his home state. However, the former Senate candidate will not even try to persuade those who voted for him to cast their ballots for West Virginia Attorney General and GOP nominee for U.S. Senate Patrick Morrisey in November and he certainly has no intentions of supporting him himself.

“Don Blankenship will not be supporting Patrick Morrisey for U.S. Senate,” Greg Thomas, Blankenship’s campaign manager and advisor said Thursday, according to The Hill. “I think the one thing he is going to make sure doesn’t happen is that Patrick Morrisey does not become a U.S. Senator.”

Thomas’ comments begged the question: could Blankenship, the former Republican candidate, support Morrisey’s Democratic opponent, Sen. Joe Manchin, instead?

Manchin was asked about that possibility by Neil Cavuto Thursday on his Fox News show. Manchin said the two have not discussed it, but seemed open to the idea, even complimenting the former candidate as if to court Morrisey’s voters.

“Like I said, we’ve had our differences. But you cannot question the West Virginia Republican conservative roots,” Manchin said.

But according to Thomas, Manchin can forget about Blankenship’s backing in the general election.

“Don Blankenship does not believe it should be Patrick Morrisey. He also does not believe it should be Joe Manchin,” Thomas said, the Hill reported. He then added, “We’ve only just begun.”

For his part, Morrisey, the GOP nominee Blankenship is snubbing, also attacked Manchin during an interview with Fox’s Cavuto.

“The primary is over and right now there’s a clear choice between myself and Sen. Manchin,” Morrisey said. “He’s going to do anything to try to run away from his liberal record and try to pretend to be conservative or have West Virginia values.”

Morrisey added that he believes President Donald Trump will be a major asset for his campaign.

“I think he can make a big difference. He has made a big difference in West Virginia already,” the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate said.

Watch above, via Fox News.

[image via screengrab]

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