The Senate campaign of West Virginia’s pro-Trump attorney general was supercharged Tuesday when a super PAC backing his effort announced it has raised $700,000.
The conservative West Virginia 35th PAC’s total helped to nearly double the $737,000 Attorney General Patrick Morrisey raised in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Between the two, they have $1.7 million on hand.
Morrisey is challenging Rep. Evan Jenkins in the Mountain State’s Republican primary that will decide who takes on embattled Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
Republicans see West Virginia as a potential pickup because President Trump blew Hillary Rodham Clinton away by 42 points.
The high-powered 35th PAC backs the attorney general because they see him as a conservative close to Trump. They also note that Jenkins was once a Democrat.
35th PAC Executive Director D.J. Eckert said the dual fundraising announcements make Morrisey “the strongest possible candidate to beat Senator Manchin in November.”
He added, “Our organization will have the resources necessary to independently communicate Attorney General Morrisey’s proven record as a strong conservative leader who will support President Trump’s agenda and stand up for West Virginia values in Washington.”
The group often ties Jenkins and Manchin together, and Jenkins has fought back by ripping Morrisey’s ties to former Trump aide Steve Bannon. But in a state that is arguably Trump’s biggest base, that line of attack might not work, say Morrisey allies.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
