President Trump won’t wade into the West Virginia Republican Primary. Donald Trump Jr. has no such reservations. Five days before the primary, Trump Jr. tweeted his anti-endorsement of Don Blankenship:
I hate to lose. So I’m gonna go out on a limb here and ask the people of West Virginia to make a wise decision and reject Blankenship!
No more fumbles like Alabama. We need to win in November. #wv #wvpol
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) May 3, 2018
A single tweet could take some of the wind out of Blankenship’s sails in a state that Trump carried by more than double digits. Since his release from prison and his start in politics, Blankenship has repeatedly tried to paint himself as a mini-Trump.
The White House has wanted nothing to do with a candidate whose past reminds them of one Judge Roy Moore, whose primary win cost Republicans a special Alabama election and a Senate seat.
When Trump traveled to West Virginia to talk up his tax cuts, he appeared on stage with the top two GOP contenders, Rep. Evan Jenkins and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. Noticeably absent was Blankenship. Trump hasn’t even spoken the name of the ex-con.
Dispatching the younger Donald to take care of the candidate is significant though. It shows that Blankenship, who stands third in the polls with 16 percent, still worries party brass.
Who stands to gain the most from the rebuke? Morrisey. In second place with 21 points to Jenkin’s 25, Morrisey has painted himself as an outsider and is best suited to poach Blankenship stragglers. He could see a sizeable bump.
