Ras: Manchin leads challengers

WVa Gov. Joe Manchin (right) leads two possible GOP challengers in what's shaping up as a special election to fill Robert Byrd's Senate seat in November, according to Rasmussen Reports:

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in West Virginia, taken Thursday night, shows Manchin with 53% support, while Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito earns 39% of the vote. Three percent (3%) prefer another candidate in the race, and five percent (5%) are undecided.

If former West Virginia Secretary of State Betty Ireland is his GOP rival, Manchin captures 65% voter support. Ireland picks up 26%. Three percent (3%) again like some other candidate, while six percent (6%) are undecided.

Yet while 77% of the state’s voters approve of the job Manchin is doing as governor, he would be running in a challenging political environment for any Democratic candidate.