CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A conservative political advocacy organization, along with 24 elected officials, sent a letter to U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Thursday urging him to support President Donald Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court.
Americans for Prosperity-West Virginia, part of the Koch network of political groups, sent the letter ahead of Manchin’s scheduled meeting Monday with Brett Kavanaugh.
Manchin will be the first Democratic senator to meet with Kavanaugh, who President Donald Trump nominated to the high court on July 9.
Twenty-nine people signed the letter, including the state’s three members in the House of Representatives — Republican Reps. David McKinley, Alex Mooney and Evan Jenkins — West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner, state Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt, state Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, and 18 state legislators.
Americans for Prosperity West Virginia State Director Jason Huffman, former state Senate President Bill Cole, Associated Builders and Contractors of West Virginia President and CEO Bryan Hoylman and Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse-West Virginia Executive Director Roman Stauffer are also attached to the letter, as is Grover Norquist, a conservative activist and president of Americans for Tax Reform.
“What we want to do is urge Sen. Manchin to swiftly confirm President Trump’s really outstanding nominee to the United States Supreme Court,” Huffman said.
Kavanaugh currently serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and would replace Justice Anthony Kennedy if confirmed. Kennedy is retiring at the end of July.
Manchin has said he is concerned how confirming Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court would affect the federal health care law, specifically the protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions.
Manchin was one of three red-state Democrats who voted last year to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.
Huffman said Kavanaugh’s record on the Court of Appeals shows he is a judge that believes the judicial system should interpret laws rather than create policy through opinions.
“He has confirmed through that capacity and others that he is a jurist who is not going to drive a political agenda,” he added.
Huffman said West Virginians want Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court, citing a poll conducted earlier this month for Judicial Action Network, another conservative political organization.
The poll — administered by North Star Opinion Research — shows 55 percent of West Virginians want the U.S. Senate to confirm Kavanaugh, compared to 30 percent against confirmation.
“We hope that the senator asks the questions that the majority of West Virginians want to know, which is will Judge Kavanaugh defend the Constitution, is he going to not legislate from the bench, is he going to interpret the law as written,” Huffman said. “Those are the questions that Mountaineers are concerned with.”
Manchin held a roundtable in Charleston on July 20 to hear from representatives of multiple organizations about the possible effects of confirming Kavanaugh.
His office launched an online page and email last week for constituents to submit their comments on the Supreme Court nominee.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., met with Kavanaugh on July 12, calling him “an excellent choice by the president.”
Americans for Prosperity launched a national campaign last week in multiple states, including West Virginia, urging people to ask their senators to confirm Kavanaugh. According to Huffman, 95,000 phones calls have been made in West Virginia as part of the organization’s efforts.