In West Virginia, polls show the formerly imprisoned coal baron Don Blankenship is surging in popularity ahead of Tuesday’s Republican Senate primary. Blankenship is the former CEO of Massey Energy. He served a year in prison after 29 miners died in the 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine disaster. Last week, Blankenship released an ad attacking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his “China family.” McConnell, who has opposed Blankenship’s Senate run, is married to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao.
Don Blankenship: “Hi. I’m Don Blankenship, candidate for U.S. Senate, and I approve this message. Swamp Captain Mitch McConnell has created millions of jobs for China people. While doing so, Mitch has gotten rich. In fact, his China family has given him tens of millions of dollars. Mitch’s swamp people are now running false negative ads against me. They are also childishly calling me 'despicable' and 'mentally ill.' The war to drain the swamp and create jobs for West Virginia people has begun. I will beat Joe Manchin and ditch Cocaine Mitch, for the sake of the kids.”
While the ad was widely viewed as racist, Don Blankenship defended the messaging, saying, “We’re confused on our staff as to how it can be racist when there’s no mention of a race. There’s no race. Races are Negro, white Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian. There’s no mention of a race. I’ve never used a race word.”