Democrat Manchin wins W.Va. Senate seat

CHARLESTON, W.Va., Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin III appeared to be the winner Tuesday in the race for the West Virginia Senate seat long held by Robert Byrd, returns indicated.

Early results from the West Virginia Secretary of State gave Manchin a solid lead of 53.7 percent to 42.9 percent for Republican John Reeves Raese.

Manchin, claiming victory, said he hopes to help restore bipartisan cooperation in Washington.

"You've gotta be careful when political parties start putting the next election ahead of the next generation," he said.

A native of West Virginia, Manchin is the grandson of Italian immigrants and a member of a prominent Democratic family in the state. He is known as moderate, opposing abortion and supporting gun ownership.

Raese, a business owner whose holdings include a newspaper and radio stations, has run unsuccessfully for the Senate against both Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.