Manchin leading in new Monmouth Poll (with 6/21 update)
According to CNN, Joe Manchin leads in the just-released Monmouth Poll:
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin leads his Republican challenger Patrick Morrisey in the West Virginia Senate race, according to a Monmouth University poll released Wednesday. . . .
The survey shows Manchin with a 48% to 39% advantage over Morrisey, the state's attorney general. Another 4% back ex-con coal baron Don Blankenship, who lost the GOP primary in May and is now trying to run as the Constitution Party candidate. . . .
Manchin holds a 49% to 42% lead over Morrisey without Blankenship in the race.
Additionally:
Manchin's lead comes even as the President remains widely popular in West Virginia, with 67% of voters in the state approving of his job performance compared with 29% who disapprove.
The key to Manchin's lead may be how he is viewed by voters. As The Hill describes:
The Monmouth polling found Manchin in a decent spot as far as his favorability — 44 percent of voters view him favorably compared to the 35 percent who view him unfavorably.
By contrast, Morrisey's favorability numbers are under water. He's viewed favorably by 25 percent of the state's voters and unfavorably by 30 percent.
In other West Virginia races:
The Monmouth poll also finds a close race for an open seat in the state's 3rd Congressional District between Democratic state Sen. Richard Ojeda and GOP state Del. Carol Miller.
Ojeda receives 43% support compared with 41% for Miller, although the Democrat's lead expands when looking at the historical midterm turnout and Democratic surge models.
While Trump won the district by 50 points in 2016, Ojeda's background as a decorated Army veteran and populist platform -- including as a leading voice in this year's teachers' strike in the state -- could appeal to more voters there.
Update -- 6/21
There was no mention of the Monmouth Poll results in either of today's Wheeling papers.
Additionally, the Charleston Gazette-Mail's report on the Monmouth Poll also includes the findings for WV's 1st Congressional District:
In the 1st District, Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., has a sizeable lead on Democrat Kendra Fershee with 68-22 and 72-24 percent leads.
Note -- the 2nd group of numbers is of likely voters.