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Primary Colors

West Virginia occupies a unique place in the political universe. A small state, it hosts one of the most tightly contested Senate races of the midterms. But it also finds itself in the political conversation again and again. 

Once a bastion of Democratic populism and represented by the likes of Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, the Mountain State is now one of the most reliably Republican states in the country. 

Sen. Joe Manchin III, the lone Democrat remaining in the congressional delegation, is in what might be one of the toughest races of his career this year as he runs for a second full term in a state President Donald Trump won by more than 40 points in 2016. 

Republicans fought a nasty primary for the right to take him on. State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey beat Rep. Evan Jenkins and former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship on Tuesday, barely. 

Roll Call senior political writer Simone Pathé was in West Virginia in the days leading up to the primary, and she explained what she learned there in the latest Political Theater podcast.

Midterm Matchups

The marquee race between Manchin and Morrisey will help determine majority control of the Senate. Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race a Toss-up. 

West Virginia voters also set the matchups for the three House races there, including the seat Jenkins vacated when he ran for the Senate.

Those races will look like this: 

• 1st District: Rep. David B. McKinley (R) vs. Kendra Fershee (D)

Inside Elections rating: Solid Republican

• 2nd District:  Rep. Alex X. Mooney (R) vs. Talley Sergent (D)

Inside Elections rating: Solid Republican

• 3rd District: Richard Ojeda II (D) vs. Carol Miller (R)

Inside Elections rating: Solid Republican

Coal Country

Trump won West Virginia’s five electoral votes so handily that he likely never had to step foot in the state again. But the president makes his support for the state and particularly its coal industry a point of pride and has made sure to tend the flock. 

“I am thrilled to be back in the very, very beautiful state of West Virginia. And I am proud to stand before you and celebrate the hardworking people who are the absolute backbone of America. Thank you. I love the people of the states. I love your grit, your spirit, and I love our coal miners,” the president said at an Aug. 2, 2017, rally in Huntington. 

As a sign of the political trends, Gov. Jim Justice, a former Republican who switched parties and ran as a Democrat in his successful 2016 run, switched back to the GOP just in time for that rally.

Trump was back in West Virginia on April 5 for what was billed as a tax-themed event at White Sulphur Springs to rally Republicans once again. It was his fourth trip to the state since taking office.

And congressional Republicans chose the Greenbrier Resort, located in White Sulphur Springs and owned by Justice, as the location of their policy retreat earlier this year. 

It’s enough to make one think that the state, with its five electoral votes and solid Republican pedigree, might be on its way to the center of the political universe. That might not change soon, considering the state’s proximity to Washington and the Manchin-Morrisey race’s implications for the next Congress.

Movie Time!

Speaking of West Virginia, Political Theater had the opportunity to speak with Huntington Fire Chief Jan Rader, one of the subjects of the Academy Award-nominated documentary “Heroin (e),” back in February. 

Have a listen:

Rader, one of three women on the battle lines in the fight against the opioid epidemic in West Virginia, had joined Manchin as his guest at January’s State of the Union. 

The Kicker