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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHow would Joe Manchin do if he ran for president?
Joe Manchin is an enigma to most people because he wins in WV by margins often equal to many republicans. Manchin just won with 49% in a state that Hillary lost with 27%. To be fair, Hillary put herself in an antagonistic position with WV, so her number is below the floor.
But Manchin seems to be a guy that can convert people to his side. I know that he is anti-choice, but could he win? Does he have a base he can start from?
dogman
(6,073 posts)monmouth4
(9,709 posts)edhopper
(33,606 posts)by being Republican lite.
MrsCoffee
(5,803 posts)Polly Hennessey
(6,801 posts)Mrs. Coffee and I agree, so that settles it.
Renew Deal
(81,869 posts)Could he win? Could he convert people to his side?
hedda_foil
(16,375 posts)Polly Hennessey
(6,801 posts)tblue37
(65,483 posts)wouldn't get past the primary to run in the general anyway. And Republicans are mostly too tribal to vote for a Democrat, so even while alienating Democrats, he wouldn't attract most Republicans to vote for someone with a "D" after their name on the ballot.
50 Shades Of Blue
(10,036 posts)brooklynite
(94,700 posts)Do you? Or do you just reflexively assume that?
https://www.axios.com/joe-manchin-anti-abortion-group-ad-campaign-5779cfda-c087-4d47-a424-120445b2ae7d.html
Anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List is launching an advertising campaign targeting Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on his past votes to fund Planned Parenthood.
The big picture: Conservative movement leaders have long believed that Manchin who says he personally opposes abortion is vulnerable on this issue in deep red West Virginia. Meanwhile, Manchin has sought to court conservatives in the lead up to the midterms, including meeting with Breitbarts editorial team.
The details: SBA has allocated $785,000 toward television and radio ads that will roll out Saturday. The videos repeatedly show clips of Manchin saying he is in favor of funding Planned Parenthood.
According to Planned Parenthood's count, Manchin has voted against banning abortions after 20 weeks, restoring funding for the organization, and restricting minors' access to abortion. He has also voted in favor of restricting access to private health care plans that cover abortions, employers covering birth control costs, and limiting provider access to a Title X family planning program.
Being "pro-life" is NOT the same thing as being "anti-choice"
jcgoldie
(11,639 posts)Yes waitress Id like to order the shit sandwich with just a small helping of shit on it please... Im not real hungry.
Crutchez_CuiBono
(7,725 posts)Dem_4_Life
(1,765 posts)I don't see him inspiring people to bring them to the polls. Just overall NO.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Of course, Webb ran almost solely on white male resentment. He tried and failed to compete with the populist Bernie Sanders and Trump campaigns for those notorious white working men who'd OD'd on too much equality and resented weakening of their special privileges.
Whatever Manchin ran on, though, I think he'd do similarly poorly. Most Democrats definitely are not about to move right. And very few independent (ex-Pub) conservatives are actually voting Democrat, and most of those would have to register Democrat to be able to vote in the primaries.
Renew Deal
(81,869 posts)But I generally agree. I have doubts that he can spark devotion with the more activist elements of the party. That said, he could make waves in IA, SC, and states around WV.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)"make waves" in IA, he would get some media attention that'd carry him a bit. As said, generally agree.
SharonClark
(10,014 posts)Iowa Dems are liberal and Manchin is, as a previous poster wrote, 'weak tea'.
Saw him on Morning Joe this morning and he hemmed and hawed around when Geist asked him if the Trump lied. Geist finally gave up getting a straight answer out of him.
See post 25 for details.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)that Iowa Dems are solid. I remember the enthusiasm in the 2016 Democratic primary exit polls. Even Sanders voters were, when specifically asked, also 90% happy with HRC as their second choice. No interest in the "weak tea" that a lot of Democratic candidates were advised to offer to get reelected in the 2014 midterms then, either.
WeekiWater
(3,259 posts)He has written a lot of op eds on the topic. He puts himself out there.
https://parade.com/104227/senatorjimwebb/why-we-must-fix-our-prisons/
Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)The country?
EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)hatrack
(59,592 posts).
EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)"Give people a choice between a Republican and a Democrat pretending to be a Republican and the people will pick the real thing every time."
MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)Ace Rothstein
(3,183 posts)Nominating Joe Manchin would probably result in a Trump landslide.
bigtree
(86,005 posts)MontanaMama
(23,337 posts)Hed make a decent used car salesman imo.
Takket
(21,614 posts)crazycatlady
(4,492 posts)He's good for his state. He's the best Democrat we're going to get out of West Virginia in at least a decade. Should he give up that seat, it flips red.
He doesn't bode well with the national base. That and he has some family baggage as well (his daughter is the CEO that raised the prices of life saving medications over 1000%).
Autumn
(45,120 posts)Joe Manchin Goes Full George Costanza Trying to Avoid Calling Out Trump: Its Not a Lie, If He Believes it
https://www.mediaite.com/online/joe-manchin-goes-full-george-costanza-trying-to-avoid-calling-out-trump-its-not-a-lie-if-he-believes-it/
SWBTATTReg
(22,156 posts)DemocratSinceBirth
(99,711 posts)Freethinker65
(10,035 posts)Firestorm49
(4,036 posts)TeamPooka
(24,248 posts)DFW
(54,436 posts)I think Manchin would manage to get at least 10% of the numbers O'Malley got. Maybe even 15%.
shanny
(6,709 posts)why vote for a pseudo Republican when you can have a real one? (h/t Harry Truman).
obamanut2012
(26,111 posts)And, Flake and Romney SUCK, and I would never vote for them.
shanny
(6,709 posts)The Truth Is Here
(354 posts)Use that as a measuring stick.
Initech
(100,099 posts)I do feel like we're so desperate to rid ourselves of this nightmare administration that we'll run pretty much anybody at this point, I think we need to take a step back and analyze what we really need as far as a president and administration goes.
bullwinkle428
(20,629 posts)the people of WV are desperate to believe this. I think that most of the residents of the other 49 states are willing to view him with a more objective eye.
beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)neither would win Illinois
marybourg
(12,634 posts)sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)obamanut2012
(26,111 posts)Anti women, anti gay, etc.
LiberalFighter
(51,038 posts)peggysue2
(10,839 posts)Yes, we're desperate to get rid of the Trumpster but running a candidate like Manchin would only ensure that Trump wins in 2020. Why vote for a pale version of the Trumpski when you can get the real thing, again?
Manchin is the most Democratic candidate we can expect in West Virginia at the moment, certainly better than having the seat go to the GOP. However, Manchin is someone who can support the delusion that King Coal will make a comeback, overlook the environmental and health devastation that the coal industry has wreaked and pretend that Republicans and their failed policies are not all bad.
As in historically, tragically and life-threateningly bad.
Manchin would never make it out of the primaries, let alone a General Election
WeekiWater
(3,259 posts)When the other side of the ticket actually has someone with an R behind their name. Neither would a lot of Democrats, for good reason. Manchin would loose big, IMO. Then again, Manchin wouldn't win a national Democratic Primary against Charlie Crist, IMO.
TheFarseer
(9,323 posts)According to the RW media if he wins the nomination, hes to the left of Mao.
JI7
(89,262 posts)Proud Liberal Dem
(24,436 posts)Since he's a Democratic Senator in a state that would just as easily go for a hardcore right-wing Republican, I'll tolerate him. There's absolutely no way that he would appeal to the broad Democratic Party constituency. I can guarantee that with near absolute certainty.
book_worm
(15,951 posts)I don't see students or African Americans (among others) getting excited to vote for Manchin.
Mike Nelson
(9,966 posts)
as a Democrat and win the nomination. He would not win the primaries.
JustAnotherGen
(31,867 posts)I would have a very hard time trusting someone who gave a green light to the SALT cap.
marble falls
(57,157 posts)first. We need to remember how slim some of the margins were in our sweep in the House. And how we need to win as many Senate Seats as we can.