Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) says he is open to supporting President Trump’s reelection bid in 2020.
“I’m open to supporting the person who I think is best for my country and my state,” Manchin told Politico, insisting that he would support any candidate from either party. “If his policies are best, I’ll be right there.”
“I’m with him sometimes more than other Republican senators are with him,” he added. “Washington Democrats are making it more difficult for me to be a West Virginia Democrat.”
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Trump easily won West Virginia during the 2016 presidential election with almost 70 percent of the vote, which was his largest share of the vote in any state.
Manchin faces a tough race in November against his GOP opponent, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. Unlike other vulnerable Democrats, Manchin has shown public willingness to side with Trump at times.
Trump mocked Manchin behind closed doors in a meeting with Senate Republicans for excessively trying to hug him.
“We just kind of do the man-bump type thing. That’s it. And I think he’s pulling me as much as I’m pulling him,” Manchin said of his relationship with Trump.