Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) has entered the race for the 2024 election to try and unseat Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).
Mooney announced his challenge to the senator in a radio interview on MetroNews Talkline on Tuesday morning. Upon taking office in Congress in 2015, Mooney became the first Hispanic congressman to represent West Virginia and worked as a chairman of the Maryland Republican Party prior to his time in Congress, according to Fox News.
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Mooney’s challenge to Manchin comes right after he emerged as the victor in the 2022 midterm elections in West Virginia’s 2nd District, besting Democratic challenger Barry Wendell, according to WDTV. In the primary election, Mooney beat fellow Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) in the primary as the state underwent redistricting.
The Republican took a shot at Manchin on Nov. 5, claiming that the senator’s words are “sad attempts to cover his efforts to empower Joe Biden’s liberal agenda.”
“He literally handed Biden his biggest policy ‘win’ by supporting dramatic tax increases that will threaten the entire coal industry and the thousands of West Virginia jobs and communities it supports,” Mooney wrote, referring to Manchin demanding that President Joe Biden apologize for comments he made on closing coal plants.
He literally handed Biden his biggest policy “win” by supporting dramatic tax increases that will threaten the entire coal industry and the thousands of West Virginia jobs and communities it supports.
— Rep. Alex Mooney (@RepAlexMooney) November 5, 2022
Manchin is one of the GOP’s top targets in 2024 as the party tries to reclaim both the White House and the Senate after failing to secure the latter in the 2022 midterm elections. On Monday, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, a former 2018 Senate hopeful, told the Hill that he is “evaluating options” and is “looking very closely at the Senate race.”
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The outlet also listed Mooney and West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) as possible challengers to Manchin. Justice cannot seek another term as governor due to being term-limited, opening up the possibility of seeking another position in politics.
The Washington Examiner contacted Mooney’s office for comment.
