Trump-backed lawmaker Alex Mooney Ousts GOP colleague David McKinley in West Virginia

In a bitter preliminary showdown between two West Virginia GOP congressmen, voters in this MAGA wild state stayed true to form: They voted for whom Donald Trump endorsed.

On Tuesday night, Representative Alex Mooney, a Trump-backed Republican, defeated Rep. David McKinley, leading by a comfortable margin as the Associated Press called the primaries 9 in. a little bit EDT at night.

The confrontation between the Republican incumbents is the result of a decade-long regional redistricting process, during which West Virginia lost its congressional seat due to a shrinking population. Mooney and McKinley are included in the same incorporated county in the northern part of the state.

While both lawmakers are staunch Republicans, Trumpworld campaigned to remove McKinley because he was guilty of heresy voting in favor of a bipartisan infrastructure bill – despite the investments. into the crumbling streets of the Mountain State – backed by President Joe Biden.

Additionally, McKinley was one of 35 Republicans in the House who voted for an independent committee to investigate the January 6 uprising.

Mooney, formerly a state legislator in neighboring Maryland, has always touted Trump’s support and appeared with him at a rally in southwestern Pennsylvania days before the primary.

In response, McKinley attacked Mooney as a self-interested carpet salesman, but he also relied on some powerful — and unexpected — allies to try to get Trump’s endorsement.

The veteran lawmaker has the backing of Governor Jim Justice, the Democratic coal billionaire who runs the state, as well as Senator Joe Manchin, the centrist Democrat, who cut his campaign ads. for McKinley.

In the end, the pull of Trump – who won West Virginia in 2020 with almost 69% of the vote – was too strong.

Mooney will now face an easy path to re-election in November in this bold red zone, and Trump will avoid an embarrassing defeat in friendly territory and once again demonstrate a hold. their own to the party.