Outgoing Democratic Senator Joe Manchin endorsed West Virginia Democratic mayor Glenn Elliott on Monday as his potential successor in the race for his United States Senate seat.
Mr. Manchin announced his support in a video message published on Mr. Elliott’s campaign website.
“He has the determination, the vigor and vitality to do the work required to be successful in the U.S. Senate here in Washington, D.C.,” Mr. Manchin said. “He’ll show up every day to fight for West Virginia to create jobs, grow our economy and make a better life for our people.”
“Glenn will always fight for West Virginia, and will put our country and our state before the bickering and pettiness of the partisan politics of Washington D.C.,” Mr. Manchin added, before commending his champion for his successes as the mayor of Wheeling.
“He’s helped to revitalize downtown, create jobs and lower the crime rate.”
Mr. Elliott, a 7th generation West Virginian, is currently serving his second term as the mayor of Wheeling, a city of 26,000 on the Ohio River near the Appalachian Mountains.
In 2022, he was honored as “Mayor of the Year” by the West Virginia Municipal League.
Mr. Elliott’s campaign said the mayor’s interest in running for the U.S. Senate was ignited when Mr. Manchin announced his resignation. The decision was made after careful consideration and consultation with Mr. Manchin and various other state leaders.
Mr. Elliott said he was deeply honored to receive Mr. Manchin’s endorsement.
“His support means a great deal to me, and I am grateful for his guidance and encouragement throughout this process.”
Mr. Manchin, the only Democrat currently holding statewide office in West Virginia, announced in November that he would not run for reelection in 2024, disillusioned with the growing partisanship in Congress, which he said harms the country.
“The senator has made very clear he thinks politics in Washington is broken,” Mr. Elliott told WVPB. “One of the advantages of being a mayor is—especially wherever a town like Wheeling is—you don’t really have the luxury of letting politics get broken. You gotta get things done.”
Some analysts say Mr. Manchin’s decision to step down essentially equates to ceding the seat to the GOP. West Virginia was a Democrat bastion for much of the 20th century, but that changed in 2000 when the state voted for George W. Bush over Al Gore. Since then, the state has turned deep red, with nearly 69 percent of the votes going to candidate Donald Trump both in 2016 and 2020.
Mr. Elliott said that Mr. Manchin’s endorsement tells him that “he thinks I’m the best option to keep the Senate seat going forward.”
“We need folks who have a record of getting things done and who are doers,” Mr. Elliot said. “I certainly bring that experience and perspective to the race.”
In the Democratic primaries, scheduled for May 14, Mr. Elliott will face opponents Zach Shrewsbury, a Marine Corps veteran, and Don Blankenship, and former coal executive.
The winner will compete against either Republican Gov. Jim Justice or U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney in the general election.
