West Virginia Governor and US Senate candidate Joe Manchin (D) is downplaying the latest poll showing his lead over Republican businessman John Raese is down to just 6 points (48% - 42%). But even though he claims "We feel really good where we are, where we're going and the support we have by all sides, Democrats and Republicans," Mr. Manchin sounded a bit more realistic when he added, "The only thing I can do is hopefully show them if you work together, if you try to fix problems, good things will happen." (source) Unfortunately for him, that mushy, moderate, go-along-to-get-along attitude is exactly what voters are resoundly rejecting.

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The race to replace the late Senator Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia) was supposed to be a solid win for the Democrats. But the wave of opposition to the Obama agenda has swept over West Virginia and voters may not decide to turn their popular governor into yet another yes-man to the president.

The tightening race is starting to get national attention which can only improve Mr. Raese's fundraising abilities. Wall Street Journal columnist, John Fund writes, "As if Democrats didn't have enough headaches, it now appears another of their Senate seats is in play." Local media is amping up the coverage as well, "You just can't believe what one credible poll like Scott Rasmussen's can do in a race like this one," said Jack Ellis, Huntingtonnews.net's chief political analyst. "In one week, Raese has gone from an underdog contender to a guy who is on the verge of turning the tables on Manchin. Who would have thought this possible last week before the primary election, yet here we are." (source)

In the final two months of the campaign expect Governor Manchin to remind voters of his accomplishments on the state level and his record as a centrist. Meanwhile Mr. Raese will be promoting his ideas of more fiscally responsible government while linking his opponent to Team Obama's obscene deficit spending and federal power grabs like Obamacare.

With the president's approval rating in West Virginia a dismal 34% (source) and the upcoming election considered by many to be a referendum on the Obama presidency, Governor Manchin may remember this week's poll as simply the first indication of his shaky political future.