West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is leaving open the possibility—albeit remote—that he could run for the Senate as an independent.
The veteran Democratic Senator announced earlier that he is not running for re-election, and he has ruled out a third-party run for President. Manchin says he wants to get away from Washington politics and devote his energies to a super PAC run by his daughter, Heather, that promotes centrist policies.
However, CNN’s Manu Raju reported that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer “recently discussed a long-shot idea” with Manchin of trying to hold the seat as an independent.
Manchin told Raju, “I think that’s a long, long, long-shot scenario. I don’t anticipate that happening. I don’t anticipate running.”
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The Senator reinforced that position in an interview with MetroNews’ Jeff Jenkins in Charleston last weekend. “He (Schumer) knows I’ve already made up my mind. I’m happy with my decision.”
But there is a qualifier.
Raju reported, and I confirmed with another source, that Manchin is leaving the door open just a crack in case it appears former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship could be the next Senator from West Virginia. The former coal operator is in the race for the Democratic nomination for Senate along with Glenn Elliott and Zachary Schrewsbury.
Yes, it is odd that Blankenship, who is very conservative and has funded campaigns to help Republicans get elected, would run as a Democrat, but he must figure the party switch gives him a better chance than if he ran as a Republican against Governor Jim Justice and Representative Alex Mooney.
I am told there is a 15-to-25 percent chance Manchin would enter the race as an independent if he thinks it is necessary to prevent Blankenship from being elected to represent West Virginia.
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The bad blood between Manchin and Blankenship goes back years to when Manchin was Governor and Blankenship was running Massey Energy. Blankenship actively campaigned against Manchin’s plan to sell $5.5 billion in bonds to cover the state’s pension programs.
Manchin fired back suggesting Massey operations could be more closely scrutinized by the government. Blankenship sued, claiming Manchin was retaliating against him and his company. Blankenship dropped the suit after Manchin issued a statement saying he regretted his remarks.
Later, Blankenship was convicted of a misdemeanor charge of conspiring to violate mine safety standards following the 2010 explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine, where 29 miners died, and he served a year in jail. However, he has remained politically active.
He tried to unseat Manchin in the 2018 Senate race. Blankenship lost in the Republican Primary, and he then tried unsuccessfully to run in the General Election as a member of the Constitution Party against Manchin.
So, these two men have a long and tumultuous history. Is there one more showdown ahead? Several pieces would have to fall into place for that to happen. Blankenship would have to pull off an upset in the Democratic Primary and be polling well against Justice or Mooney. Manchin would have to change his mind about running.
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It is unlikely that happens. However, as Manchin told CNN, “You never say never to anything because you never know.”
Join the Main Street Morgantown family-friendly holiday shopping event from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 13) in Downtown Morgantown.
The event will feature a district-wide scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes and the opportunity to explore holiday pop-up markets by Hoot and Howl, The Co-Op and Apothecary Ale House.
While exploring downtown shops, participants who spot DASH the Dog can collect stamps. Each stamp brings participants closer to the chance of winning prizes from downtown merchants such as gift cards and goods. To qualify for prizes, completed Downtown Dash Guides with five or more stamps must be turned into Hoot and Howl, The Co-Op, Apothecary Ale House or at Breezeline’s play-to-win tent on Courthouse Square.
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As a break from shopping, parents and their little ones can visit Kids Craft, Cookies & Cocoa Central at the WARD Building to enjoy a complimentary hot cocoa and cookie bar and children’s crafts provided by Hotel Morgan sponsored by Main Street Morgantown and Breezeline.
Visitors can also visit the beautiful 25-foot-tall holiday tree on display at Courthouse Square, a collaboration between the City of Morgantown, Monongalia County and Main Street Morgantown.
Sponsored by Breezeline, the Downtown Dash celebrates the holiday season, promotes walking and shopping throughout the downtown district, and supports local businesses by driving foot traffic directly to storefronts.
WHEELING, W.Va. — The West Virginia First Foundation visited the Wheeling Police Department to commend its efforts in addressing the area’s mental health and opioid crisis.
Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger presented to the WVFF board, highlighting the department’s progress.
Schwertfeger attributed a 14% decrease in Group A crimes from 2024 to 2025 to the department’s crisis intervention program.
“Just another great partnership,” he said. “More collaboration in this area that we are very proud of and we want to keep the momentum going,.”
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WVFF Executive Director Jonathan Board praised the program’s success.
“This in particular, the CIT program, that isn’t just in the ether, but is showing success – actual scientific success about de-escalation, about bringing together services providers and to boots on the ground and first responders, this is vitally important to not only this region but the entire state,” Board said.
The visit was part of WVFF’s ‘Hold the Line’ tour across the state.
Now that you know about West Virginia’s2026 recruiting class, I figured it’d be a good time to give a little insight into those who were once committed to the Mountaineers and landed elsewhere.
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What happened, and where did they go?
QB Brodie McWhorter (Mississippi State)
McWhorter committed to Neal Brown and his coaching staff, but reopened his recruitment when the coaching change was made. Rich Rodriguez did recruit him at the beginning, holding several conversations with him before backing off and pursuing Jyron Hughley and Legend Bey. Hughley committed, Bey committed to Ohio State (signed with Tennessee), while WVU added two more quarterbacks in Wyatt Brown and John Johnson III.
RB Jett Walker (Texas)
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Walker fit the bill for what Rodriguez wanted in the backfield. A big, physical presence who could absorb contact and hammer it in between the tackles. With multiple backs committed and feeling good about a few others, WVU didn’t feel pressed to hold onto him. Walker flipped to Minnesota and then flipped to Texas just three weeks later
WR Jeffar Jean-Noel (Georgia Tech)
Jean-Noel was the second recruit to commit to Rodriguez in the 2026 class, but reopened his recruitment in mid-April. He then considered Purdue, Pitt, Kentucky, UCF, and Florida State before landing at Georgia Tech.
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OL Justyn Lyles (Marshall)
The Mountaineers had a number of offensive line commits, and with the late additions of Kevin Brown and Aidan Woods, and their chances of securing Jonas Muya, Lyles took a visit to Marshall and flipped his commitment.
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LB Caleb Gordon (North Carolina)
Gordon’s commitment to WVU was very brief. As a matter of fact, it was the shortest of the bunch, announcing his pledge on November 24th and then flipping to NC State on the first day of the early signing period (December 3rd).
LB Daiveon Taylor (Kent State)
Taylor was the first commit in the class; however, it was so early that he was committed to Neal Brown’s staff, announcing his decision in April of 2024. He backed off that pledge the very day Brown was fired (December 1st) and eventually signed with Kent State.
CB Emari Peterson (unsigned)
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Peterson decommitted from WVU just days before signing day, likely due to the Mountaineers zeroing in on a pair of JUCO corners in Rayshawn Reynolds and Da’Mun Allen. He will sign in February and currently has offers from Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Charlotte, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, FIU, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Kentucky, Liberty, LSU, South Florida, Southern Miss, Texas A&M, Toledo, Wake Forest, and a few others.
S Aaron Edwards (committed to Tulsa)
West Virginia chose to part ways with Edwards and ultimately replaced his spot with fellow JUCO safety Da’Mare Williams.
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S Jaylon Jones (undecided)
Jones decommitted in late October and did not sign during the early signing period. He will likely choose between Central Michigan, Hawai’i, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and Texas State.
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S Taj Powell (Louisville)
Taj is the brother of former Mountaineer basketball guard Jonathan Powell, who is now at North Carolina. He decommitted the day after West Virginia lost to Ohio and flipped to Louisville that same day.
MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI
Two Michigan Players WVU Should Pursue if They Enter Portal Following Coaching Change
Cooper Young Adds Name to Growing List of Expected WVU Portal Entries
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WVU is Set to Lose Former Top In-State Recruit to the Transfer Portal
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Former West Virginia Coordinator Fired After Just One Season at Texas
Another West Virginia Running Back Expected to Hit the Transfer Portal
