Former West Virginia Coal Executive Don Blankenship Files to Run as Democrat for Senate Seat

Former West Virginia coal executive Don Blankenship has thrown his hat into the ring once again, this time as a Democrat in the race for the Senate seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. Blankenship, who previously ran as a Republican in 2018 and lost by a wide margin, filed paperwork just before the deadline for candidates to enter the primary.

The state Democratic Party wasted no time in distancing themselves from Blankenship, with party chairman Mike Pushkin stating that Blankenship does not represent the values of the Democratic Party. Despite this, Blankenship has two primary challengers as he enters the race.

Blankenship’s controversial past as the former CEO of Massey Energy, where he served time in federal prison for conspiring to violate safety standards at a mine where 29 men died in an explosion, has made him a polarizing figure for voters. While some see him as ruthless and self-centered, others view him as assertive and a man of integrity.

In an attempt to appeal to voters, Blankenship has positioned himself as a candidate who opposes illegal immigration, is concerned about the nation’s drug crisis, and believes transgender individuals should not be allowed to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity or compete in sports based on their gender identity. He has also called climate change “an absolute hoax” and maintains his innocence in his court case.

Despite his controversial views and past, Blankenship is confident that West Virginia Democrats and Independents will support him in his bid for the Senate seat, as he aims to bring what he calls “sensible, moral, and pro-American policy” back to the Democratic Party and America as a whole. It remains to be seen how voters will respond to Blankenship’s candidacy in the upcoming election.