As Democrats seek to maintain control of the White House and their slim majority in the Senate, the Biden administration is facing some of its fiercest opposition from one of its own: West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin.
Because of their tight majority in the upper chamber, Manchin has emerged as one of the party’s most crucial holdout votes over the last two years, forcing Democrats into lengthy negotiations and compromises to get the centrist on board with their agenda. However, that delicate dance has become more precarious in the last few months — especially as Manchin has grown increasingly frustrated with the Biden administration’s climate policies.
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As a result, Manchin has rebelled against his Democratic counterparts in recent months, stonewalling confirmation hearings for Richard Glick, the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, over complaints the agency has helped to advance the Biden administration’s aggressive climate policies. The delay has left FERC without a Democratic majority, leaving the panel deadlocked until the West Virginia senator agrees to let the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee move forward.
“I’m so absolutely in disagreement with how they’re trying to promote an energy policy,” Manchin said earlier this month. “It’s just not all about, ‘All green and clean.’”
Manchin has also expressed opposition to how the Biden administration has implemented its signature Inflation Reduction Act, a milestone piece of legislation that the West Virginia senator helped pass the Senate last year. Now, Manchin is threatening to withhold support on key appointments to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior Department until changes are made.
The Biden administration has sought to smooth over those relations, telling reporters earlier this week that the White House is “working in good faith” to implement the law as intended by Congress.
“We’re trying to implement it based on what the Congress passed,” John Podesta, a senior Biden adviser, told reporters. ”Now, he has disagreed a little bit with some of those interpretations, but I think we are operating in good faith to get guidance out as quickly as possible.”
To make things more complicated, all this comes as Manchin has publicly flirted with the idea of running for president on a third-party ticket — leaving open a crucial Senate seat and posing a serious challenge to Biden as he seeks reelection.
Manchin has not said whether he intends to run for reelection next year, nor has he indicated plans to launch a White House bid. However, the West Virginia senator is being eyed as a top contender for the No Labels group, which is planning to launch a third-party ticket to provide an alternative option in the case of a Trump-Biden rematch.
Should Manchin run for president, that could open another challenge for Senate Democrats as they seek to hold on to their slim majority as the centrist senator is seen as the party’s best chance to cling to the crucial seat.
The West Virginia Senate race is expected to be one of the most competitive elections of the 2024 cycle, making it one of only three races to be deemed a “tossup” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. If Manchin runs for a second bid, he is considered one of the most vulnerable Senate incumbents as he would be running in a state that Biden lost by nearly 40 points in 2020.
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Although Manchin has not revealed his future plans, the West Virginia Democrat has expressed confidence in a victory regardless of the war he wages.
I’ve been in races to win. If I get in the race, I’m gonna win,” Manchin said last month. “I haven’t made a decision.”
Sinks Grove, WV (WOAY)- In Sinks Grove, there is a small farm where there are some very happy animals. This farm also recently won the West Virginia Hive’s 2024 Pitch Southern West Virginia competition.
Waymaker’s Meadows Farm strives to provide healthy and local meat and produce to local markets.
Mike Teaney spoke with the farmers to share the good news.
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Governor Jim Justice recently announced the winners of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources’ third annual Monster Trout Contest.
“Congratulations to these lucky anglers for reeling in some truly incredible catches,” Justice said. “As a lifelong angler I also want to thank everyone for sharing their monster trout photos during our fall trout stockings and showing the world that West Virginia is a premier fishing destination.”
The five lucky anglers each caught a tagged monster trout, which were stocked during the weeks of Oct. 21 and Oct. 28. Those stockings included 35,000 pounds of trophy-size trout and 6,500 pounds of monster trout, 100 of which received a pink tag. Anglers who caught a tagged monster trout had until November 22 to submit a photo of their catch with the tag number to win a prize.
Click here to view winning photos.
In addition to these five winners, 38 verified anglers who caught tagged monster trout and uploaded a photo will also receive a WVDNR water bottle and tackle box.
Governor Justice also reminded anglers that the WVDNR stocked trout on the Elk River in Webster County in November as part of a pilot program to evaluate the economic impact of trout stocking in the area. The stocking occurred at the usual stocking locations and included 750 rainbow trout. A second stocking will take place later in December and include another 750 rainbow trout.
All anglers 15 years and older are required to have a West Virginia fishing license, trout stamp and a valid form of identification while fishing for trout. Anglers who want to get a head start on planning their 2025 fishing adventures are encouraged to renew their license early online at WVfish.com.
Child advocacy centers, recovery housing and diversion programs in West Virginia will receive grants as part of the initial round of $10.4 million distributed by the nonprofit allocating opioid settlement funds in the U.S. state with the highest overdose rate.
The West Virginia First Foundation announced funding Monday for 38 programs across six regions of the state representing “a crucial step in addressing the epidemic with both urgency and care,” Executive Director Jonathan Board said.
The proposals were chosen from 174 applications received by the foundation for funding this year for an initial round of around $19.2 million in grants. Foundation officials say they plan to disperse around $8.8 million in supplemental awards to organizations that weren’t selected for the first round, under the requirement that they make adjustments and reapply.
A total of 11 organizations will receive money for youth substance use prevention and workforce development, with the largest share — $442,800 — going to support Seed Sower, Inc. in the southern West Virginia counties of Fayette, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Nicholas, Webster, Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Mercer, Wyoming and McDowell. Ten county commissions, local police departments and other organizations received funding for programs to divert individuals from the criminal justice system and provide them with support and treatment with the largest sum — around $625,650 — going to the Berkeley County Diversion and Interdiction Project.
Seven organizations were granted funding for expanding access to transitional and recovery housing, with Southern WV Fellowship Home, Inc. receiving the largest share, $658,800. Ten child advocacy centers across the state are receiving funding, including North Star Child Advocacy Center in Parkersburg, which will receive $720,000 to expand operations.
“The holidays can be a challenging time for many, and we hope this announcement reinforces a message of hope, recovery, and progress for West Virginia communities,” said Matt Harvey, the foundation’s board chair and prosecuting attorney in Jefferson County.
Officials from 55 West Virginia counties signed on to a memorandum of understanding that allows money to be funneled through the West Virginia First Foundation and dictates how it can be spent. The state Legislature and Gov. Jim Justice gave it the green light earlier this year.
According to the agreement, the foundation is responsible for distributing just under three-quarters of the settlement money. Around a quarter will go directly to local communities and 3% will remain in trust.
The state is receiving money from each of its settlement agreements on a staggered schedule, with annual payments coming until at least 2036. The private foundation alone is expected to receive around $367 million over the next five years.
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