WV-SEN: Swearengin vs Blankenship

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Both candidates win their primaries by narrow margins. Swearengin campaigns mostly on economic populist issues like expanded Medicare and even medicare for all, as well as workers rights while avoiding her less popular coal positions. She attacks Blankenship as "A criminal and fool who does not have the interests of West Virginians at heart."

Blankenship ties himself to Trump as much as possible and continues to reiterate his coal positions and how Obama "put the blame on me for no wrongdoing". He attacks Swearengin as "A bleeding-heart and anti-business liberal who will kill jobs and no hard-working West Virginian would vote for."

Who wins? Discuss with maps if you like.

[I’m not Stu]

Blankenship wins every county.

[NewYorkExpress]

Both candidates are too extreme for the state, and West Virginia is very Republican...but presumably the Democratic primary ended somewhat amicably,so she has Manchin's endorsement, and there's a D wave in effect.

Paula Jean Swearingen (D) 50.1%
Don Blankenship (R) 49%
Write-in/Other 0.9%

Swearingin loses big in 2024, possibly to Morrisey, possibly JB McCuskey, or possibly to Alex Mooney.

[Medal506]

Blankenship wins 60% of the vote

[Lord Admirale]

Manchin pulls a Murkowski and wins a write-in campaign.

[RC (a la Frémont)]

Manchin pulls a Murkowski and wins a write-in campaign.

Best scenario.

[Politician]

Swearangin wins narrowly after Manchin endorses her.