If an endorsement from West Virginia Republican Gov. Patrick Morrisey was considered "toxic" in last week's election, it would seem he has some unlikely company in former governor and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin.
Manchin, a centrist Democrat who switched his party registration to independent in May 2024, near the end of his second full term in Congress, reportedly supported seven candidates in Tuesday's midterms, all of whom lost.
The list has been a topic of schadenfreude among never-Trump and leftwing political pundits after last week's midterms handed Democrats commanding control of the House and Senate.
To be clear, Manchin didn't formally endorse all seven candidates. The shorthand of social media has, unfortunately, wiped that nuance away.
The breakdown
He officially endorsed Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, whose bid for a sixth term was ended by Democrat Troy Jackson by about eight percentage points during last week's blue tsunami.
Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, who lost to Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, didn't receive an official endorsement from Manchin, though he did say he supported Rogers.
Manchin also officially endorsed Republican House candidate, Brian...