In the wake of Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W. Va.) death on Monday morning, speculation is already to swirling over the prospect of West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin running to fill the Senate seat that had been held by Byrd for 51 years.
West Virginia state law gives Manchin the authority to appoint Byrd's replacement -- to serve at least for an interim period -- if not through 2012. Manchin has suggested that he will not appoint himself to fill the post, however, the sitting governor is reportedly mulling a bid for the Senate seat in 2012.
Salon reports:
Manchin is quite ambitious and has let it be known in West Virginia that he has national aspirations. Earlier this year, he formed his own PAC for national political activity -- Country Roads PAC -- and he's slated to become the chairman of the National Governors Association later this summer. But he's slated to be term-limited out of the governorship in 2012, so maneuvering his way into Byrd's seat is probably Manchin's only way of retaining his political viability and furthering those national aspirations.
Earlier this month, West Virginia's Lincoln Journal reported that Manchin's Senatorial ambitions to succeed Byrd were "no secret" in light of the longtime incumbent's fragile condition:
There have even been widespread rumors that the governor has an individual already in mind to fill the unexpired term if Sen. Byrd should vacate the office before the end of his current term. This would allow Manchin to avoid any public backlash that might occur if he appointed himself to the vacant seat but guarantee that the individual appointed would not be a threat to the governor for the full term in the 2012 election.
In fact, it appears that 2012 may the prime time for Manchin to launch a Senate run. Steve Kornacki explains:
Even though this fall figures to be rough for Democrats, it's probably a better time for Manchin to run. He's plenty popular now and, thanks to his cultural conservatism and staunch defense of the state's coal industry, he's separated himself enough from Barack Obama and the national Democratic label that he'd probably be fine.