On Monday, Don Blankenship announced that he is a candidate for the Constitution Party nomination for President of the United States. Blankenship’s campaign expressed that the announcement was made on Veterans Day to “make his announcement in recognition of America’s Veterans.”
He also stated that he “will be attempting to be the first person ever to become an occupant of the White House after having been in the ‘big house.'” Blankenship was convicted of a misdemeanor and spent a year in jail for a federal violation of mine safety and health standards. He attests that he was wrongly convicted, and was given the maximum penalty for a misdemeanor because of the Obama Administration’s Justice Department.
In 2018, Blankenship sought the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, but was defeated by Attorney General Patrick Morrisey.
This occurred after President Donald Trump tweeted, “To the great people of West Virginia we have, together, a really great chance to keep making a big difference. Problem is, Don Blankenship, currently running for Senate, can’t win the General Election in your state. No way! Remember Alabama. Vote Rep. Jenkins or A.G. Morrisey!”
Blankenship then responded that Trump was interfering with West Virginia’s U.S. Senate election, accusing the President of spreading “fake news.”
Since the conviction, a federal magistrate has recommended that Blankenship’s misdemeanor conviction be voided.