The Weekly Standard reports:
Republicans are panicking as internal polls show Don Blankenship, a coal baron who spent time in jail for a mining disaster that killed 29 workers, surging into the lead in the West Virginia Senate GOP primary over Attorney General Patrick Morrissey and Congressman Evan Jenkins.
The results of an internal campaign poll conducted for one rival Senate campaign on Saturday and Sunday were: Blankenship 31 percent, Jenkins 28 percent, Morrissey 27 percent.
The results of another internal poll conducted Friday and Saturday were: Blankenship 28 percent, Morrissey 27 percent, Jenkins 14 percent. Two weeks earlier, the same rival campaign found Blankenship at 14 percent, Morrissey at 29 percent, and Jenkins at 26 percent.
Blankenship says he was 18-20 points up after the Fox debate
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) May 7, 2018
"I'm neither despicable, mentally ill, a moron or a bigot," Blankenship says.
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) May 7, 2018
"He recommended that people vote for a guy accused of pedophilia," Blankenship says of Trump. He says his accusers are Obama and Hillary
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) May 7, 2018
Blankenship responds to Trump: “Tomorrow, West Virginia will send the swamp a message—no one, I mean no one, will tell us how to vote. As some have said, I am Trumpier than Trump and this morning proves it.” https://t.co/FWJTWxL9zt
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) May 7, 2018