Former Coal Company CEO Don Blankenship Launches Senate Bid as Democrat in West Virginia

Former coal company CEO Don Blankenship, known for his controversial past and staunch support of former President Trump, has thrown his hat into the ring for the Senate seat in West Virginia, this time as a Democrat. Blankenship, who previously ran for the Republican nomination in 2018 but lost, filed his candidacy on Friday for the seat being vacated by Sen. Joe Manchin.

Blankenship, who once claimed to be “Trumpier than Trump,” faced pushback from national Republicans during his 2018 campaign due to his anti-establishment track record and criminal history. He served time in prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to violate mine safety regulations following a deadly explosion at one of his coal mines.

In a recent interview, Blankenship revealed that he switched his party affiliation to Democratic eight months ago, citing the GOP’s treatment of him during his previous Senate run. He expressed his concerns about the government’s handling of issues like the drug epidemic in West Virginia and emphasized that the real enemy is the government itself, not political parties.

Blankenship’s decision to run for Senate again comes at a time when Republicans are expected to have a strong chance of winning Manchin’s seat in the upcoming elections. The front-runner for the GOP nomination is West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who switched from Democrat to Republican in 2017, but he faces competition from Rep. Alex Mooney.

As Blankenship re-enters the political arena, his unconventional background and controversial statements are sure to make waves in the race for the Senate seat in West Virginia. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.