I saw the remarks by him that Mistermix mentioned, and I’m basically just stumped as to where Manchin is on the stupid/evil axis. Considering he doesn’t think politics is a team sport (I hope his campaign staff and volunteers don’t hear that) and he’s sponsored several bills he clearly doesn’t understand, there is ample evidence for the stupid side. He’s also a lifelong member of ALEC and was their chairman in WV in the 90’s, has never seen an environmental regulation he didn’t want to gut, and will basically do anything coal tells him, so there is solid evidence for the evil side.
None of this changes one simple fact, though, and that is that John Raese is nucking futs. Manchin’s got the Democrats by the short hairs, and will leverage that for all it is worth until he eventually switches to the GOP as the state gets redder.