Sen. Manchin backs Republican in campaign ad, calls Trump-endorsed candidate ‘selfish’

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin recently backed Rep. David McKinley of West Virginia, a Republican, in a campaign ad railing against former President Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate, Rep. Alex Mooney.

In McKinley’s campaign ad, Manchin praises the congressman for having always opposed “reckless spending.” Manchin also said of Trump’s pick: “Alex Mooney has proven he’s all about Alex Mooney.

Manchin defended McKinley against a claim from his Republican opponent who accused McKinley of supporting Build Back Better by voting for the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.

“For Alex Mooney and his out-of-state supporters to suggest David McKinley supported Build Back Better is an outright lie,” Manchin said. “David McKinley has always opposed reckless spending because it doesn’t make sense for West Virginia.”

McKinley’s spokesperson Sam Runyon told CNN that the “ad speaks for itself.” Mooney also shared the ad, saying on Twitter Saturday: “Further proof David McKinley is a complete and total RINO. Democrat Joe Manchin is endorsing him.”

Both Mooney and McKinley are currently in the House of Representatives, but the new congressional maps put McKinley, who represents West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, in the state’s 2nd Congressional District, where Mooney is the incumbent. Both announced their races to represent the same district in Oct. 2021.