Gov. Manchin wins second term

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin easily won re-election, earning 70% of the vote. Manchin says he has big plans for his second term.

"My whole priority is to build better jobs, health care for every working people, a world-class education system, and an energy leader."

Manchin, a Marion County Democrat, won a second term defeating former Republican state senator Russ Weeks and Mountain Party nominee Jesse Johnson. 

Weeks tried to make an issue out of Manchin’s daughter, who received a business degree from WVU she did not earn.  He also argued that Manchin had failed to make enough economic progress in the last four years.

But Manchin enjoyed record-breaking budget surpluses, generated in part by sky-high prices in the coal and natural gas industries.  He used those surpluses to pay down an estimated $1B in state debts. He also privatized the state’s troubled workers compensation system.

Finally, he received worldwide attention for his role during the Sago Mine Disaster in Jan. 2006, when 12 miners were killed. He pushed several mine safety reforms through the West Virginia Legislature.