Joe Manchin (D, West Virginia) backstabs Nick Rahall (D, WV).

Well, isn’t this interesting.

• February, 2013: “U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced today that he is honored to invite Major Richard Ojeda, a West Virginia veteran and a community organizer, as his guest for the President’s State of the Union address.”
• October, 2013: “A nationally recognized political report has moved a possible race for Congress next year in West Virginia from “Lean Democrat” to “Toss Up.” The Cook Political Report said Friday state Sen. Evan Jenkins, R-Cabell, is drawing closer to longtime 3rd District Congressman Nick Rahall.”
• January, 2014: “Rahall has outrun the political change in West Virginia so far, but Obama’s dire approval ratings here are dangerous for the veteran incumbent.”
• January, 2014: “Richard Ojeda, a West Virginia veteran who was Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) guest at the State of the Union last year, apparently liked what he saw of Congress. Ojeda has announced that he plans to challenge 19-term congressional veteran Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) in the state’s upcoming primary.”

…and, of course, if Ojeda wins his first act will be to vote for Nancy Pelosi to become Speaker of the House.  His next set of acts will be to negotiate with the House Democratic leadership about which of Ojeda’s principles will not have to be sacrificed to the greater glory of the Democratic liberal agenda.  Because that’s how it works with ‘conservative’ Democrats; like unicorns, they are wondrous and magical icons of hope whose only flaw is that they do not actually exist.

Still.  It’s amusing that Senator Joe Manchin has been carefully nurturing this fellow to supplant Nick Rahall.  Excuse me, ‘allegedly’ nurturing Richard Ojeda.  But this shouldn’t surprise Leftists; after all, if conservative Democrats would happily betray conservatives, why wouldn’t they betray individual Democrats, too?

Moe Lane