Survey: Jim Justice Leads Joe Manchin in West Virginia Survey

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) is leading Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) by double-digits in a head-to-head primary matchup in the Mountain State, a recent ECU survey found.

Justice, who jumped into the Senate race in April after stating that it is “time for the Republicans to take control of the Senate,” is leading the incumbent by 22 points among registered voters. A majority, 54 percent, support Justice, compared to 32 percent who support Manchin. Another 13 percent remain undecided, and one percent said “some other candidate.”

This coincides with the fact that Justice has a positive job approval rating, as 57 percent approve compared to 29 percent who disapprove. Further, 70 percent of Republicans, specifically, approve of Justice, as do 52 percent of independents and 39 percent of Democrats.

Conversely, Manchin’s job approval is under water, as most, 59 percent, disapprove, compared to 33 percent who approve. Further, Manchin does not see an approval as strong as Justice among his respective base, as 51 percent of Democrats approve of Manchin. Less than half of independents, 37 percent, and one-fifth of Republicans, 22 percent, approve of the Democrat politician as well.

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Per the survey:

When asked if Senator Manchin should remain a Democrat or switch parties, voters in West Virginia were split on the matter, with 33% saying he should remain a Democrat and 33% saying he should switch to the Republican Party. Another 14% responded that Manchin should become an independent, with the remaining 21% not sure.

The survey was taken May 22-23, among 957 registered voters in West Virginia. The survey has a Credibility Interval (CI) of +/- 3.7 percent.

🚨 2024 WEST VIRGINIA POLL

SEN:
(R) Justice 54% (+22)
(D) Manchin 32%

(R) Mooney 41% (+1)
(D) Manchin 40%

GOP SEN:
Justice 53% (+41)
Mooney 12%

GOP PRES:
Trump — 54% (+45)
DeSantis — 9%
Pence — 5%
T. Scott — 4%
Haley — 3%
Ramaswamy — 2%
Hutchinson — 2%

ECU | 05/22-23 | RVs pic.twitter.com/OfEMerTzsq

— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) May 30, 2023

Speaking to Breitbart News Saturday this month, Justice identified himself as the only individual who can defeat Manchin in the general election.

“I am the only person that can beat Joe Manchin in West Virginia,” Justice said, emphasizing the importance of Republicans taking back the Senate.

“We can’t screw this, you know, in all honesty, if we screw this up, shame on us,” he cautioned.

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“Whether it be what happened in Afghanistan, what’s going on with inflation, what’s going on with energy independence, what’s going on at the border, I mean, it just goes on and on and on from crime to everything else under the sun,” Justice added.

“And if anybody in their right, reasonable mind should think that that’s the pathway that we need to be on, I think they’re lunatics,” he said, warning that if we “continue the way we’re going, we could lose this country.”

“We have got to absolutely take control of the Senate again,” he emphasized.

LISTEN:

Manchin has yet to reveal his political intentions, telling MSNBC that he would make a formal decision by the end of the year, teasing a White House bid.