Charles Town, W.Va. – West Virginians shared what role Sen. Joe Manchin and former President Trump’s endorsements would play in their voting decisions in Tuesday’s primary election.
“I don’t trust either one of them,” one Charles Town resident, Bette, told Fox News.
Redistricting in West Virginia led to a primary race in the state’s 2nd District between two incumbents, Republican Reps. David McKinley and Alex Mooney. Trump endorsed Mooney last year, while Manchin, a Democrat, recently crossed the aisle to back McKinley.
“For me, Sen. Manchin’s endorsement is far more important,” Danny, of Shepherdstown, told Fox News. “I think President Trump knows West Virginia from a headline and a soundbite, but I think Sen. Manchin has been in West Virginia his whole life.”
Jeff, a Republican and Martinsburg resident, similarly said Manchin’s endorsement was more important for him. He said he planned to vote for McKinley on Tuesday.
But Bette told Fox News that Manchin “hasn’t listened” to what the people want.
“He’s blocked things where he could have worked together to work things out,” Bette said. “That’s really made me sad about him.”
With an even split in the Senate, Manchin, a moderate, has repeatedly stalled Democrats’ efforts. Most notably, the West Virginian opposed eliminating the filibuster, effectively blocking the move, and came out against President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda.
Bette said it is “vital” for politicians to start working together, even when they disagree, to “find out what’s in the best interest of people.”
Kat, a West Virginia resident, similarly said Trump and Manchin’s endorsements weren’t important factors for her vote in the primary election.
“I like to make my own decisions,” Kat told Fox News. She said she will vote for candidates that “care about the issues I care about.”
Several West Virginia residents said the leaked Supreme Court draft decision overturning Roe v. Wade may influence their votes.
A crowd of people gather outside the Supreme Court, Monday night, May 2, 2022 in Washington following reports of a leaked draft opinion by the court overturning Roe v. Wade.
Danny, for example, said he sees the draft decision as “the government sticking its nose into women’s issues.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“I think there’s all kind of roles where the government can be used and should be used to protect us,” Danny, who said the decision could affect his voting decisions in the midterm elections in November, told Fox News. “But in this case, I think it’s getting far too involved in women and families’ lives.”
Haley, a 2021 high school graduate and Charles Town resident, said she wasn’t planning on participating in Tuesday’s primary election since she didn’t learn about the voting process in school and hadn’t done enough research. But she said the Supreme Court’s leaked draft decision could inspire her.
“I feel like that’s going to motivate me … to want to vote so I can make a difference in the community,” Haley told Fox News.
