Senator Joe Manchin just got some very bad news.
West Virginia’s Republican Governor Jim Justice, who is considering a Senate run in 2024, boasts higher popularity among the state’s Democratic voters than Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, according to a recent Morning Consult poll.
The poll indicates that Justice received a 52% approval rating from West Virginia Democratic voters, while Manchin secured only 49% support.
Additionally, Manchin’s disapproval rating was 24 points higher among all the state’s voters compared to Justice, who has announced that he is “seriously considering” challenging Manchin for the Senate seat.
The poll also revealed that Governor Justice garnered more support than Senator Manchin among West Virginia’s independent and Republican voters.
Justice obtained 63% of independent voters’ support, as opposed to Manchin’s 35%. Furthermore, the governor surpassed Manchin’s support among GOP voters by 43 points.
Of those who support Manchin, 86% also approve of Justice.
However, only 49% of the governor’s supporters also approve of Manchin.
RELATED: Joe Manchin Just Got Bad News: Key Democratic Groups Won’t Commit to Supporting His Re-Election
Currently serving his second term as governor, Justice has met with top Republicans, including Montana Senator Steve Daines, the National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair.
Justice has also put his family coal business on the market as he moves closer to a potential election bid.
If Justice decides to run for the Senate, he will compete against Rep. Alex Mooney, who is backed by the economically conservative political action committee Club for Growth, in the GOP primary.
Both Republicans will seek an endorsement from former President Donald Trump and the opportunity to challenge Manchin, who has yet to announce his reelection bid.
According to a National Public Affairs poll, Governor Justice is significantly more popular among likely GOP primary voters than Mooney, with 78% support compared to Mooney’s 48%.
In a hypothetical head-to-head Republican primary matchup, Justice leads Mooney by 31 points.
RELATED: Manchin Just Got Caught Sending Millions in Federal Money to Organizations His Wife is Involved With
A Tarrance Group poll conducted in February suggested that Justice would defeat Manchin in the 2024 election by 10 points, while Mooney would lose by 15 points.
This data highlights the growing popularity of Governor Justice among West Virginia voters and the challenges Senator Manchin may face in the upcoming election.