(DCWatchdog.com) – Joe Manchin, a Democratic U.S. Senator from West Virginia, has been known for consistently rejecting spending bills from his more liberal colleagues. According to a poll, he now holds the second-lowest approval rating among Senate members.
Manchin, 75, a former governor of West Virginia, has been a senior senator for the state since 2010. He is still unsure about whether he will run for reelection in 2024.
A recent poll by Morning Consult reports that Manchin’s approval rate among West Virginians is 39%, with 55% disapproval. This gives him a net rating of -16%, as reported by Breitbart News.
The only senator with a lower approval rating is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, aged 82. McConnell’s net rating stands at -29%, with an approval rate of 32% and a disapproval rate of 61% among Kentucky voters.
The report points out that if Manchin runs for reelection, he faces a difficult challenge in a state that has recently become predominantly Republican.
West Virginia’s current governor, Jim Justice, is the front-runner for Manchin’s Senate seat. Justice is well-liked and has a net approval rating of +29%, according to a recent poll by Morning Consult.
If Justice secures the Republican nomination for the Senate race and Manchin decides to run for a third term, it is expected that Manchin will have a tough time competing against him.
A poll conducted in May by East Carolina University showed that Justice had a 22-point lead over Manchin in a possible 2024 election matchup.
The other candidate for the Republican senatorial nomination in West Virginia is U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney. Last month, a poll from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce showed Justice leading Mooney by 37 points – with 56% to 19% support in the Republican primary.
Manchin is also rumored to be a potential presidential candidate for the No Labels movement, a group focused on centrism and bipartisanship.
In July, Manchin was quoted at a No Labels event in New Hampshire, saying, “I’ve never been in any race I’ve ever spoiled. I’ve been in races to win. And if I get in a race, I’m going to win.”
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), who has not yet decided if he is running for reelection in 2024, has the second-worst approval rating of any senator, according to a Morning Consult poll. https://t.co/OVeijT5oQk
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) August 1, 2023
