Ex-con Don Blankenship takes the lead in WV GOP polls...

[aaronleland]

Republicans fear another Roy Moore-style disaster in West Virginia as ex-con coal CEO takes lead in polls

The West Virginia Senate race has an ex-con in the lead of the Republican primary and the GOP is fearing it might become another Roy Moore-level disaster for their party.

Coal baron Don Blankenship is freshly freed from one year in prison after a mining safety incident that killed 29 miners. The incident marked the deadliest coal mining incident in 40 years, and Blankenship was found partially responsible. He became the first ever high-ranking executive who was convicted of a workplace safety violation.

When Blankenship was freed, he filed to run for the U.S. Senate for the Republican Party. As one of the wealthiest and most influential men in Appalachia, according to the New York Times, Blankenship has dumped $450,000 of his fortune into television ads blasting the field of his fellow Republicans. As a result, Politico revealed, he’s shot up in the polls.

Now, the GOP is starting to worry. In a race against conservative Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Blankenship has to go as far right as the likes of Moore or Pennsylvania congressional candidate Rick Saccone. At the same time, having an ex-con whose lax safety in coal mines killed so many West Virginians isn’t a good look for the Republican Party.

Should he win the primaries it would be interesting. A man partially responsible for the deaths of 29 West Virginians running against a very popular Blue Dog Democrat, and former Governor. Even in a red state a Manchin win wouldn't exactly be an upset.

 

[aaronleland]

Sorry. My thread title was a bit misleading. I meant to say he leads in the polls. Not the primaries.

Title changed.

 

[bendog]

It's almost proof of God's existence. LOL

 

[hjmick]

Pre-criminalized... cool...

 

[miketx]

Cool!