Trump team considering Sen. Joe Manchin for energy secretary

Politico ^ | 12/01/2016 | By DARIUS DIXON

[SeekAndFind]

President-elect Donald Trump's transition team is considering Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia for the energy secretary job, according to three sources close to the discussions.

The conservative Democrat “is being considered to show the coal people how serious Trump is about coal,” one source said.

Manchin told POLITICO Thursday afternoon that he and his staff haven’t been contacted by Trump’s transition team and he didn't have any trips to New York City on his calendar. But Manchin, who is up for reelection in 2018 in a state that has become increasingly more Republican over the past decade, also didn’t dismiss the notion of taking DOE’s top job in the Trump administration.

“If I can do anything that would help my state of West Virginia, and my country, I would be happy to talk to anybody,” he told POLITICO. “Other than that, I haven’t heard anything ... I have nothing scheduled.”

Just last month, Manchin was named the vice chair of the Senate Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.

Earlier Thursday the Trump transition announced that North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, another Democrat, would be making a trip to Trump Tower Friday.

[Buckeye McFrog]

hmmmm....very interesting!

Gets him out of the conundrum he’s in for hitching his political wagon to Hillary and Obama.

AND it opens a WV seat to be filled by a Republican!

[rwilson99]

That would make 53 Senators.

[Jim W N]

NUKE THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL DEPT OF ENERGY

[ichabod1]

Manchin & Mnunchin. That’s going to be a problem.

[Redbob]

OR he could simply run as a Republican next time, virtually guaranteeing a GOP pickup.

[Az Joe]

Oh....I like this move!

[DoodleDawg]

As with Heitkamp there is nothing in it for Manchin so why would he agree?

[Zathras]

Very interesting....
Now THIS is how you play Chess!

[spokeshave]

That would make 53 Senators.

and: Donald Trump to meet with Democratic North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp about cabinet position.

If all comes true...

Make that a 54

[Dr. Sivana]

OR he could simply run as a Republican next time, virtually guaranteeing a GOP pickup.

No. Keep him away from guns. He should be pro-coal enough, I imagine.

[Bulwinkle]

I was thinking about Joe for either Interior or Energy earlier today was that Heidi Heitkamp was being considered.... Heidi for Ag!

[Buckeye McFrog]

so why would he agree?

Because he chained himself wrist-and-ankles to a party that vowed to destroy the coal industry. He is liable to get his head handed to him in the next election no matter what happens.

[Conserv]

Don’t forget. On Dec 10, the Louisiana runoff will give us another Republican senator.

[Az Joe]

Governor is a Democrat and would probably appt a Democrat to fill his seat until the next election (2018?)

[Fido969]

AND it opens a WV seat to be filled by a Republican!

Yowza!

[Conserv]

or would that be just a hold?

[Mollypitcher1]

There’s EVERYTHING In IT for Manchin. He’d be on the winning team. Sure beats being a loser any day of the week.

[MMaschin]

hmmmm....very interesting!

Gets him out of the conundrum he’s in for hitching his political wagon to Hillary and Obama.

AND it opens a WV seat to be filled by a Republican!

No! The problem is West Virginia just elected a Democrat as Governor, so if they pull Manchin out, he would be replaced by a more popular Dem - Manchin has ZERO chance of winning in 2018. For one thing, his daughter is the CEO of the company responsible for raising the price of the EpiPen!

This is the play he needs to use with Heitkamp, from North Dakota, she's pro-oil, and a female, and the Governor is a Republican! Pull her as energy secretary, and have her replaced by a Republican!

[SeekAndFind]

RE: Don’t forget. On Dec 10, the Louisiana runoff will give us another Republican senator.

How certain is it for the Republican candidate to win this?