Sen. Manchin touts W.Va. Dem as ‘straight shooter’

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is trying to set the record straight for a vulnerable House Democrat in a new ad, touting the congressman’s pro-coal policies.

Manchin tells voters in the ad released Monday that Rep. Nick Rahall (W.Va.) is a “straighter shooter” when it comes to the Obama administration’s “war on coal.”

{mosads}Rahall, who is in a tough reelection fight, has come under fire from Republicans for allegedly supporting the president’s carbon pollution rules on coal-fried power plants.

“We hear a lot of outrageous things in politics today but none worse than the lies being told on TV against our friend Nick Rahall,” Manchin says in the 30-second ad.

“Nick’s a straight shooter. Nick works with me every day to fight the Obama administration’s war on coal,” Manchin adds.

Shortly after the administration unveiled its controversial proposal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants, Rahall introduced legislation to block the rule, claiming it would hurt the coal industry.