West Virginia Governor switches Parties...

Ironically, I just read a piece just last week talking about how the Democratic Party was looking at the Trump Presidency as a chance to possibly "turn" some existing Republicans into Democrats. There was talk that they would "once again" attempt to turn John McCain, possibly Susan Collins, and there was even talk of going after Lisa Murkowski. The article also mentioned some possible House members who resided in Hillary districts as well that they may be targeting for a party switch.

I guess if you can't beat em, get the winners to join your team, huh? 

I personally never liked the concept of major politicians switching political parties, and I especially do no like it when it happens only eight months after you were elected (as Governor Jim Justice just was).  It seems unfair to the voters who voted you in. If the voters of West Virginia wanted a Republican Governor, they just had a chance to vote one in. They didn't. 

That being said, I think it's ironic that right after the Democrats start playing with the idea of party switching as a means to regain control, that they lose a major Governor in a purple state to the GOP. It must sting even more, knowing Justice made his announcement under the fanfare of a Trump campaign style visit and in many ways credited the Trump movement for his decision.

This probably effects the Joe Manchin situation as well, although I am not 100% sure whether this helps or hurts his reelection chances. Obviously from a standpoint of logistics, losing the Governor in your state to the other side has tangible campaigning effects. The main figure head is now campaigning against you, rather than for you.  But such a move might fire up the Democratic base in that state, who might be angry over the defection. 

Oh, and there has been an ongoing rumor that Manchin has toyed with the idea of also switching sides and running for reelection as a Republican. While I don't care for Party switches in the middle of a term, if you are going to do so, the right time to do so is when you are up for reelection so you can be elected with your new Party.