Manchin Pushes Back WV-SEN Decision

Joe Manchin
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Gov. Joe Manchin (D-WV), the apparent frontrunner for the Senate seat of the late Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd is pushing back his decision on whether he will run, as the state sorts out the confusing legal situation on the seat.

Manchin told Politico over the weekend that he would delay his decision on whether to run — though he again said it is “highly likely” he will run — until a special session of the state legislature corrects the state’s ambiguous law on whether to hold a special election, and he appoints someone as an interim Senator. “My intentions [on a Senate bid] would be third, that’s the last thing I would do,” Manchin said.

Manchin said that the state legislative process could be taken care of later this week, on Thursday. “We all agreed to have a special session on Thursday at noon,” Manchin said. “At that point, we should have legislation presented, they should look at it, approve it, adjust it, whatever — but come out with a clear understanding of how we proceed to have the election this November with a primary, if they desire, this September or whenever.”

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