Democrat Manchin Rises With Obama Rips

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., has an interesting strategy in his re-election campaign for next year: Run as the anti-Obama, The Hill reports.

Manchin, who was elected last year in a special election to replace Robert Byrd, has seen his approval rating improve since January as he’s voiced his opposition to the president.

“He needed it as a survival strategy,” said John Kilwein, a political scientist at West Virginia University. “He’s gone out of his way to distance himself from the president, and my guess is that it’s probably worked because this is a fairly conservative state.”

John McCain beat Obama handily in West Virginia in the 2008 election.

Manchin told The Hill he is trying to express his disagreements with Obama respectfully. “People in West Virginia want to make sure this administration is working on behalf of not only them but the country, and West Virginia is concerned that they will be able to mine the coal and make the steel and want to continue to be able to help this great country,” he said.