CHARLESTON, W.Va. — U.S. Senate candidate Don Blankenship said again Thursday on MetroNews “Talkline” he won’t vote to reelect Senator Mitch McConnell as the Senate Majority Leader if he wins a seat in the U.S. Senate.
Blankenship said he had nothing against McConnell until recently.”Well, it wasn’t too much (against) him until he spent $1.5 million slandering me in the last part of this election,” Blankenship said. “I did not agree with his policies but obviously he’s got something bad he wants to hide up there or he wouldn’t come out and attack me.”
A Republican PAC that many link to McConnell has been airing TV and digital ads in the race claiming Blankenship ruined drinking water for southern West Virginia residents while piping fresh water to his own home.
McConnell has been openly critical of Blankenship and has suggested he couldn’t defeat incumbent U.S. Senator Joe Manchin in the fall election. Blankenship scoffed at those comments Thursday.
“The idea that I can’t beat Joe Manchin of course doesn’t make any sense. I don’t know why he came out with all of these ads against me all of the sudden but when he did it made clear he needs to be removed as the majority senate leader,” Blankenship said.
When “Talkline” Host Hoppy Kercheval suggested it may be difficult for Blankenship to get the support he needs to remove McConnell—Blankenship disagreed, saying he’s done difficult things before.
“I don’t think that pitching Mitch is as hard as you might think,” Blankenship said.
The negative ads may be having an impact. Separate polls released this week show Blankenship running third in the race behind Third District Congressman Evan Jenkins and state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. The three will square off in a nationally televised debate next Tuesday night in Morgantown.