Should Sen. Joe Manchin III seek reelection next year, the West Virginia Democrat would almost certainly rely on a network of K Street lobbyists, corporate executives and out-of-state donors to help fund his campaign.
Those are among the leading contributors that helped Manchin add more than $8.2 million to his campaign account in 2021 and 2022, leaving him with $9.5 million to start this cycle, plus another $2.2 million to his separate leadership PAC.
As a swing vote on pivotal legislation, Manchin regularly attracts fundraising and lobbying attention from downtown. Lobbying firms and industry groups have snapped up a cadre of his former aides, including his former chief of staff, Lance West, who joined the American Petroleum Institute last month. Corporate PACs and CEOs are regular donors to his coffers. But those ties may also pose a liability on the campaign trail.
