Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin endorsed West Virginia Democratic AG nominee Sam Brown Petsonk, providing a major burst of momentum for Petsonk’s campaign. In 2018, Sen. Manchin defeated incumbent AG Patrick Morrisey in the U.S. Senate race, which left the already unpopular Morrisey even more vulnerable heading into his re-election campaign for state AG.

In his endorsement, Senator Manchin emphasized the importance of protecting access to affordable health care for West Virginians. Central to Petsonk’s campaign is his dedication to protecting West Virginians’ health care; a sharp contrast for voters as AG Morrisey continues his push to eliminate health care protections including those for people with pre-existing conditions.

AG Morrisey is part of the Republican ACA repeal lawsuit being heard by the Supreme Court just one week after Election Day. If successful, AG Morrisey’s anti-health care lawsuit would increase prescription drug costs for retirees, strip coverage from nearly 200,000 West Virginians, and allow insurance companies to once again discriminate against the 716,400 West Virginians with pre-existing conditions (like black lung, asthma and COVID-19). Thirty doctors from across West Virginia recently called out AG Morrisey’s dangerous attack on health care, asking AG Morrisey to withdraw his harmful lawsuit.

In case you missed it, full endorsement statement below.

“Now more than ever, West Virginia needs an Attorney General who will fight to make sure their health care isn’t taken away because of pre-existing conditions like diabetes, pregnancy, or high blood pressure. I know Sam Petsonk and he is that man. In 2018, Patrick Morrisey was on a crusade to cut healthcare for hundreds of thousands of West Virginians and now in 2020, even in the middle of a global health pandemic, he continues to fight for a lawsuit that would eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions. As a ninth-generation West Virginian and a lawyer that has fought for our coal miners and our schools, Sam Petsonk understands the importance of protecting West Virginia and that’s why I am endorsing him to be West Virginia’s next Attorney General. Morrisey is dangerous for West Virginia and he must go home to New Jersey.”