WV: Manchin to stay in Senate, not run for gov.

[Ebsy]

I don't know what we would do without Joe Manchin in the Senate urging the party to the right.

[Ebsy]

This is the right call - but ultimately since a Manchin run was always somewhat unlikely and now he's ruled it out, WV Dems must now to pick a top-notch candidate.  They must hold the governorship at all costs - imagine the shenanigans the state GOP will get involved in if they have everything.  Manchin must help to the utmost amount necessary to make this feasible.

There is no top-notch candidate to hold the seat from what I have heard. Though to be fair, Democrats haven't really don't a great job running the state, considering that its quality of life is Alabama and Mississippi levels of bad.

[Ebsy]

I don't know what we would do without Joe Manchin in the Senate urging the party to the right.

This is such an idiotic statement and is entirely representative of how how some democrats think their senate majority is going to appear through ignoring huge swaths of the country. Anyway, this statement isn't even right because it depends on the issue whether or not Manchin is "urging the party to the right":

He supports expanding Social Security, allying with Elizabeth Warren in the process.

He opposes "free trade" agreements.

You'll be surprised by many of these issue groups ratings, including 100% by NARAL in 2011, and 58% by the League of Conservation Voters. He has also been ranked consistently high among labor unions.

There's also, you know, the whole Manchin-Toomey thing in which he did more to promote sensible gun control than any of the democratic politicians that you probably like.

Anyway, it just makes me mad how underrated Manchin is by many on the left. Democrats should all be incredibly appreciative that he is helping us achieve the majority again.

I'm very appreciative of his Senate seat factoring into an emerging Senate majority in 2016. However, for all that stuff you posted(none of which actually passed, though in today's climate, that is forgivable), he is the media's go to Democratic critic of the whatever crazy thing the black guy in the White House is doing, and the D after his name gives him an awful lot of credibility.

[Ebsy]

Probably safe R.