(CNN)A night Republicans feared would end in disaster in at least one state instead produced Senate nominees that party leaders are pleased to run against three vulnerable Democratic senators in November’s midterm elections.
In West Virginia, Don Blankenship — the ex-convict and coal baron who had taken aim at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s “China family,” in a reference to his wife and in-laws’ heritage — finished third behind Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who CNN has projected will win, and Rep. Evan Jenkins, the second-place finisher.
Blankenship’s loss spared Republicans from painful decisions about whether to abandon their hopes of unseating Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
McConnell’s allies gloated over the loss by Blankenship, who had also called him “Cocaine Mitch” in a reference to drugs being found aboard a ship owned by the company of the father of his wife, transportation secretary Elaine Chao.
His political aides tweeted an image of McConnell surrounded by a cloud of what appeared to be cocaine dust, along with the words: “Thanks for playing, Don.”
Blankenship said President Donald Trump’s Monday morning tweet urging West Virginia voters to reject him in favor of either Morrisey or Jenkins played a role in his loss.
In Indiana, businessman and former state representative Mike Braun, a self-funder who spent more than $5 million to run as a Washington outsider and political novice, bested two congressmen — Reps. Todd Rokita and Luke Messer.
He’ll take on Sen. Joe Donnelly in a state where Trump won by 19 percentage points in the fall — and where Trump is set to visit Thursday.
And…
