Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) showed some real self-restraint last weekend by not pummeling his Republican opponent, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, the senator recently suggested.
"It took every bit of my discipline not to beat the living crap out of him," Manchin told a crowd at the George Buckley Community Center in Marmet, West Virginia on Saturday.
The audience cheered.
Morrisey's campaign responded in an email to his supporters, noting that Manchin is no different than the liberal lawmakers encouraging people to harass Republicans.
"West Virginians know that a vote for Joe Manchin is a vote to empower the Washington left-wing mob seeking to impeach, resist, and obstruct President Trump," said Morrisey for Senate spokesperson Nathan Brand. "President Trump warned voters during his recent trip to West Virginia that Joe Manchin was 'all for Hillary,' and Manchin's new comments suggesting violence towards Attorney General Morrisey prove that President Trump was right."
The Republican sounded off on Twitter too.
The national media should look at so-called Mr. Civility in action. Wish @JoeManchinWV would have agreed to more than one debate. Watch as Manchin loses it as his lead slips away. I will keep outworking him until the end. #wvsen https://t.co/t8z9u7ujjR
— AG Patrick Morrisey (@MorriseyWV) November 3, 2018
In the past year, prominent Democrats like Rep. Maxine Waters (CA), Sen. Cory Booker (NJ), and former Attorney General Eric Holder have encouraged their fellow Americans to harass or even "kick" Republicans and Trump supporters. Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton poured fuel on the flames by telling CNN the Dems had no reason to be civil with the GOP.
Exposing Manchin's violent rhetoric was just one part of Morrisey's strategy. At their last debate, the Republican described Manchin as the ultimate flip flopper.
"[Manchin] is in this whole mindset - Hillary Clinton - And what Senator Manchin did, he went to Washington. He became just a dishonest Washington liberal. He thinks like Hillary did: you could just make up things as you go along."
He has a point, especially when it comes to Manchin's support/non-support for Planned Parenthood.
The latest polls show put this race in a dead heat.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member