In race for his Senate seat, Joe Manchin endorses West Virginia Democratic Mayor Glenn Elliott

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Outgoing U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin endorsed the mayor of Wheeling on Monday in the Democratic primary race for his seat representing deep-red West Virginia, where Manchin is the only Democrat holding statewide office.

In a video released by Democrat Glenn Elliott’s campaign, Manchin described Elliott as a man with the “determination, the vigor and vitality” to do the work required in the U.S. Senate. He praised Elliott’s record of creating jobs, lowering the crime rate and revitalizing the downtown of the city of around 26,000 on the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

“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.

Manchin, 76, announced late last year he would not run for reelection in 2024, saying the growing animosity between political parties in Congress is dividing the country and exacerbating its challenges.

His decision to step down hampered Democratic hopes of holding on to the coal country seat and marks the end of an era for West Virginia, which voted reliably blue for decades before flipping red and becoming one of former President Donald Trump’s most loyal states.

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