Manchin, a Democrat, endorsed a Republican in West Virginia’s hotly contested primary election for the 2022 midterm elections.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., featured in a Republican primary ad defending Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., against allegations that he backed President Biden’s Build Back Better plan.

“I have always said, if I can’t go home and explain it, I can’t vote for it, and that’s why I opposed Build Back Better,” Manchin said.

Manchin defended McKinley against a charge made by his Republican opponent, Alex Mooney.

He claimed that McKinley had essentially supported Build Back Better by voting for the $1.2 trillion infrastructure program.

“For Alex Mooney and his out-of-state supporters to suggest David McKinley supported Build Back Better is an outright lie,” he said.

“David McKinley has always opposed reckless spending because it doesn’t make sense for West Virginia.”

Mooney accused McKinley of assisting in the lubrication of the Build Back Better campaign in November 2021.

He pointed out that it would not have cleared the House, without the 13 Republicans who voted for Biden’s “non-infrastructure” package.