Does having Donald Trump’s endorsement help or hurt candidates? The answer is that it depends. West Virginia candidates profited, but it was another story in Nebraska’s election for governor. This, even though the former president won the plains state of Nebraska 58 percent to 39 percent in 2020.
Heading into the election, Trump’s candidate was businessman rancher Charles Herbster who had just been facing down sexual misconduct charges. Naturally, Trump came to his defense, declaring him as a “fine man [who] had been badly maligned,” according to CNN.
The ex-president even came to Nebraska with his eldest son, Donald Trump, Jr., to hold a rally and further throw his weight behind Herbster.
Conversely, Pillen had the backing of the term-limited Governor Pete Ricketts and his entire politically-active family. The sitting governor campaigned actively for Pillen. While doing so, the governor claimed that Herbster was completely ill-prepared for the job of managing Nebraska.
The Nebraska Examiner described seven women accusing Herbster of sexual abuse. One of them said he groped her and another said that he kissed her unwillingly. These attacks all happened at political events or beauty pageants. Witnesses verified their accounts either by observing them happen or being told about the attack right afterward.
Of course, Herbster called the women’s allegations a political “smear” and “100 percent false.” He followed the Trump playbook by counter-suing state Senator Julie Slama, who sued him. She is the one who claimed that Herbster reached “up her skirt” and “touched her” during a 2019 Republican dinner.
He claimed that she had done “grievous harm” to his reputation.
Trump also supported Alex Mooney who moved from Maryland where he served as a state senator to West Virginia and went up against the six-term Representative David McKinley after the state lost his district due to reapportionment.
In his victory speech, Mooney gave tribute to the ex-president for backing him in West Virginia:
‘Donald Trump loves West Virginia and West Virginia loves Donald Trump. We won anyway [in spite of Manchin’s support of McKinley].’
Trump called Herbster a “fine man” who “had been badly maligned.”
Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) supported McKinley, but Mooney glided into home plate on Trump’s charm and juju initiative. The winner said it was:
‘[A] win against Pelosi and government officials who he said had overreached with mask and Covid-19 protocols.’
McKinley claimed Manchin supported President Biden’s Build Back Better bill. Instead, the wayward senator had killed it and other important Democratic legislation. Manchin was featured prominently in an attack ad supporting Mooney:
‘Alex Mooney has proven he’s all about Alex Mooney. But West Virginians know David McKinley is all about us.’
The Democratic candidate will be Carol Blood, according to NPR:
‘The Republican will face Democrat Carol Blood in the November general elections. Blood, a Nebraska state senator, cruised to victory Tuesday night. Her challenger Roy Harris made very few public campaign appearances.’
Last week, Trump also picked the winner in Ohio’s Senate race.
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
Three White Lions is Gloria Christie’s new serialized book available in episodes on Amazon. Go to Kindle Vella and insert her name. She also writes for the liberal online newspaper The Bipartisan Report. Gloria Christie Report her newsletter for people on the go. Written in her own unique style with a twist of humor in a briefer version of Bipartisan Report. Christie’s Mueller Report Adventures In Bite-Sizes a real-life compelling spy mystery. Find her here on Facebook.
