Democrats staging multimillion-dollar sliming of Kavanaugh

It is difficult to imagine any Republican senator opposing President Trump's nomination to the Supreme Court of Brett M. Kavanaugh, a judge with impeccable credentials, strong intellect and sterling character. If Republicans stay united, Kavanaugh's confirmation as the next associate justice is assured.

Supreme Court nomination will put red-state Democrats in even bigger campaign quandary

Red-state Democrats seeking re-election this fall were already facing the difficult task of navigating between their own virulently anti- Trump national party and the Republican-leaning voters needed to win back home. But that narrow path has become even more of a tightrope now that incumbents will be asked to take sides on the president's impending Supreme Court nomination.

Manchin, Ojeda Leading In New Monmouth University Poll

In the race for U.S. Senate, Manchin holds a 48% to 39% lead over Morrisey among all potential voters - that is voters who have participated in an election since 2010 or have newly registered to vote . Another 4% support Don Blankenship, who is seeking to run as the Constitution Party candidate after losing his bid for the GOP nomination.

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin regrets endorsing Hillary and is open to…

West Virginia's Sen. Joe Manchin is one of the most vulnerable Democratic senators heading into the 2018 midterms and, unlike most members of his party, he is running as someone willing to work with, rather than obstruct, President Donald Trump. Manchin, whose state voted for Trump by more than 40 percentage points, told Politico he regretted backing Hillary Clinton in 2016 and said he wouldn't rule out endorsing the president in the 2020 election over whomever his Democratic opponent turns out to be.

Second US Democrat to support Haspel as new CIA chief

A second Democratic senator said Saturday he would support Donald Trump's nominee to lead the CIA despite her past role overseeing the torture of terror suspects, likely assuring her confirmation. Senator Joe Donnelly of Indiana said that after "a tough, frank and extensive discussion" with nominee Gina Haspel, he believes she "has learned from the past... and can help our country confront serious international threats and challenges."

Second Democratic senator publicly backing Trumpa s CIA pick

Joe Donnelly of Indiana says in a statement Saturday that he made his decision after "a tough, frank and extensive discussion" with Gina Haspel, the spy agency's acting director. The other Democrat who's come out for Haspel is West Virginia's Joe Manchin.

Facing anti-Washington winds, Senate Democrats point to home

Feeling no relief from anti-incumbent Republican primaries, Democratic senators in GOP-leaning states are working to convince voters they're free of Washington's stigma. The Democrats seeking re-election this fall in states Republican Donald Trump carried - the battlefront in the fight for Senate control -are portraying themselves as independent actors and known entities in hopes of inoculating themselves against Republican accusations that they are lockstep obstructionists to Trump's agenda.

In W.Va., it’s Manchin vs. Morrisey for U.S. Senate

Having roundly defeated U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins and former coal mining executive Don Blankenship in West Virginia's U.S. Senate Republican primary Tuesday night, Morrisey set his political sights on U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin in the Nov. 6 general election. He invoked Manchin's name close to a dozen times as Morrisey defeated Jenkins and Blankenship, garnering 44,888 votes or 35.6 percent of the vote count, according to the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office.

Morrisey beats Blankenship, Jenkins in West Virginia’s GOP primary

Morrisey beats Blankenship, Jenkins in West Virginia's GOP primary Morrisey's win likely boosts the GOP's chances against Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in November's general election. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://usat.ly/2It9F0x West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey speaks during a press conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC on February 27, 2018.

Jeff Flake will ‘certainly’ contribute to Democrat Joe Manchin…

Republican Sen. Jeff Flake said he will donate to Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in the event that controversial coal baron Don Blankenship wins the GOP primary in West Virginia on Tuesday. "I hope that [Blankenship] doesn't get through the primary," Flake told reporters on Monday.

CIA Accused of ‘A to Z Cover-Up’ as Manchin Suggests He’s Open to Voting for Haspel

Gina Haspel, nominee to be director of the CIA, waves as she arrives at a meeting with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin May 7, 2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. As the CIA wheeled a single cardboard box of classified material related to the highly secretive and reportedly torture-filled record of Gina Haspel-President Donald Trump's pick to head the agency-into the basement of the Capitol building on Monday, Sen. Joe Manchin emerged from his meeting with Haspel gushing about their " great " conversation and suggested he's " open " to voting for her confirmation.

Trump says Republicans shouldn’t back ex-coal exec in West Virginia U.S. Senate race

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday waded into the U.S. Senate race in West Virginia, urging Republicans to reject former coal executive Don Blankenship and instead vote for either U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins or state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. FILE PHOTO - Former Massey Energy Chief Executive Don Blankenship is talking on his mobile phone as he walks into the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse in Charleston, West Virginia December 3, 2015.

Democratic PAC escalates spending to sway GOP primary against Evan Jenkins, for Don Blankenship

Over a week before the May 8 primary, a new Democratic outside group has dropped over $1.2 million against Rep. Evan Jenkins in just under two weeks. A Democratic super PAC is boosting its spending against Rep. Evan Jenkins, R-W.V., in an effort to prop up Don Blankenship's campaign for the GOP nomination to take on Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V. Over a week before the May 8 primary, Duty and Country PAC, a new Democratic outside group, has dropped over against Jenkins in just under two weeks, with $517,000 coming since Thursday alone.

GOP frets over ex-con seeking primary win in West Virginia

Republican Don Blankenship doesn't care if his party and his president don't think he can beat Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin this fall. The former coal mining executive - an ex-convict released from prison less than a year ago - is willing to risk his personal fortune and the GOP's golden opportunity in West Virginia for the chance to prove them all wrong.

Problems increase for GOP from ex-con candidate

Republican Don Blankenship doesn't care if his party and his president don't think he can beat Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin this fall. This former coal mining executive, an ex-convict released from prison less than a year ago, is willing to risk his personal fortune and the Republican Party's golden opportunity in West Virginia for the chance to prove them all wrong.

Ex-con candidate compounding GOP woes in West Virginia

In this Jan. 18, 2018, file photo, former Massey CEO and West Virginia Republican Senatorial candidate, Don Blankenship, speaks during a town hall to kick off his campaign in Logan, W.Va. Blankenship doesn't care if his party and his president don't think he can beat Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin this fall.