Dem Joe Manchin Wants to Pick a GOP Congressman

It's odd that Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, wants to pick West Virginia's next Republican in Congress.

Yes, it's the same Joe Manchin that voted for Joe Biden's $6 trillion in stimulus that has spiked inflation.

The same Joe Manchin that voted for former President Donald Trump's impeachment and conviction, not once, but twice.

The same Joe Manchin who opposed pro-life Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

And, yes, the same Joe Manchin who says he'll vote for Biden's $1.5 trillion Build Back Better infrastructure bill as long as the Democrats eliminate Trump's tax cuts.

Now, with just a week to go before GOP voters in West Virginia's 2nd District choose between two incumbent GOP House Members, Joe Manchin is weighing in again.

This time Manchin is strongly supporting Rep. David McKinley, who was one of handful of Republicans who backed the Jan. 6 committee to investigate Trump.

Last week, Manchin even cut a video applauding his long-time friend McKinley and bashed Rep. Alex Mooney.

Mooney is a young, stalwart conservative and considered a rising GOP star.

Mooney quickly responded on Twitter to Manchin's video saying it's "further proof that David McKinley is a complete and total RINO."

Last year Trump unequivocally endorsed Mooney.

"Mooney has done an outstanding job as Congressman in West Virginia," Trump said.

"In fact, he recently opposed the horrendous Biden Administration's 'Non-Infrastructure' plan, and he opposed the January 6th Committee, also known as the Unselect Committee of partisan hacks and degenerates."

So why is Joe Manchin poking his nose in this GOP primary?

In West Virginia, independents are permitted to vote in either the Democrat or Republican primaries, and there has been some speculation that Manchin's endorsement of McKinley may help drive non-Republican voters into the primary.

Former State Sen. Jill Upson, a conservative Republican, pointed out to Newsmax that "early voting numbers show an unusual swing by unaffiliated voters to choose to vote on the Republican ballot."

She added, "But I still think that the Manchin endorsement hurts McKinley more than it helps."

To many, Manchin's unusual move looks like a Hail Mary pass to help a desperate McKinley.

Such moves often backfire, and that's good news for Alex Mooney.

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.