HARPERS FERRY W.Va. — Amid speculation about a possible U.S. Senate bid, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey released a statement Sunday regarding a “major announcement” in Harpers Ferry.
Morrisey, who has been mentioned as a possible candidate in 2018, will announce his future political plans Monday at the Clarion Inn Harpers Ferry-Charles Town.
“Be there and hear about important issues impacting the future of our state!” Morrisey said on Facebook.
The announcement is set for 5 p.m.
If Morrisey enters the Senate race, he would be the fourth person — the third Republican — to announce they will challenge U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., for his seat.
On May 8, 35th PAC announced it will support Morrisey if he does run for federal office.
The super PAC’s website ties Manchin to Republican Rep. Evan Jenkins, who announced the same day he would run for Senate. Jenkins was a registered Democrat from February 1993 to July 2013, changing his party identification and successfully challenging longtime Democratic Representative Nick Rahall in the 2014 midterm election.
Jenkins urged Morrisey not to run on June 12’s MetroNews “Talkline.”
“What happens if he runs and wins?” Jenkins said. “He leaves that job at the end of 2018, and guess what? Gov. (Jim) Justice can appoint — and I’m sure will appoint — a Democrat for the last two years of Morrisey’s term.”
Jenkins’ current term in the U.S. House of Representative would end in January 2019, while Morrisey’s term as attorney general would conclude January 2021.
Morrisey has mentioned the Senate race multiple times on social media already, tweeting May 28, “Momentum will gain strength if the WV GOP embraces an actual conservative for US Senate in 2018 — no conservatives are currently running.”
Former coal miner Bo Copley formally announced his Senate campaign as a Republican on June 26. Paula Jean Swearengin, a Coal City activist, is challenging Manchin for the Democratic nomination.