Joe Manchin gets a GOP challenger for his West Virginia Senate seat - Fox News

Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., announced Tuesday that helium volition tally for Senate successful 2024 successful a bid to unseat Sen. Joe Manchin.

"West Virginia values are astatine hazard successful this country. We’re bankrupting America. I privation to beryllium a portion of the solution there," Mooney said successful a vigor interrogation connected MetroNews Talkline connected Tuesday morning.

"It’s been talked astir a lot, but I’m going to announce. I’m announcing it close present that I’m moving for the U.S. Senate," Mooney said. "I’m each in."

Sen. Joe Manchin (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Manchin faced his toughest situation successful 2018 erstwhile helium won by lone 3%, and could look a choky situation from Mooney arsenic West Virginia grows progressively Republican. The mean Democrat has faced disapproval wrong his enactment arsenic a plaything ballot successful the 50-50 Senate during the past 2 years.

Mooney became the archetypal Hispanic congressman to correspond West Virginia erstwhile helium assumed bureau successful 2015. Previously, helium worked arsenic a seat of the Maryland Republican Party, wherever helium represented a occidental district.

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Rep. Alex Mooney (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Manchin drew nationalist attraction erstwhile helium announced his absorption to Biden’s Build Back Better plan, which needed his ballot to walk successful the Senate. He continued negotiations with the White House arsenic the measure evolved into the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed acknowledgment to his vote.

Sam Runyon, a spokesperson for Manchin, said the legislator welcomes each challengers. 

"A robust antiauthoritarian process has ne'er been much important to our state and Sen. Manchin encourages each campaigner who values nationalist work to participate the race," Runyon told Fox News Digital.

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President Biden gives Sen. Joe Manchin the pen helium utilized to motion the Inflation Reduction Act arsenic Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer applauds. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Manchin, who describes himself arsenic pro-life, voted to support the Hyde Amendment, which prevents national dollars from backing abortions, contempt efforts from his enactment to nix the astir five-decade-old measure. However, Manchin said helium was disappointed by the overturn of Roe v. Wade and declared helium would ballot to codify termination rights.

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West Virginia has morphed into a Republican stronghold successful caller predetermination cycles. Support for Democrats has steadily declined — Al Gore won 46% of the authorities successful 2000 and Biden won conscionable 30% of the authorities successful 2020. The state’s different U.S. legislator is Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican who won 70% of the ballot successful 2020. West Virginia has not had 2 Republican senators since 1958.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who switched his enactment from Democrat to Republican, said successful September that it is "possible" helium mightiness tally for Senate successful 2024. Manchin has yet to officially state helium volition tally for re-election.