MIDTERM SEASON

Vulnerable Democrat Joe Manchin Claps Back After Pence Attacks

Manchin says Pence’s attacks are “exactly why Washington sucks.”

Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) exchanged barbs on Wednesday after the vice president went after Manchin in a series of tweets. “Joe Manchin voted NO to letting hard working families keep more of their hard-earned money. Joe voted NO on TAX CUTS for job creators,” Pence wrote, with the hashtag #JoeVotedNo. He also criticized the senator for voting against efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare. Manchin, a moderate Democrat, is up for re-election this year in a state that Trump won by 42 points in 2016. In response, Manchin released an uncharacteristically scathing statement. “I am shocked that after the Vice President worked for almost a year in a divisive and partisan way to take healthcare away from almost 200,000 West Virginians, bankrupt our hospitals, and push tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and huge corporations that he would come to West Virginia and continue his partisan attacks,” Manchin said, adding: “The Vice President’s comments are exactly why Washington sucks.”