Saban and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) grew up together in West VirginiaGETTY IMAGES
Alabama football coach NICK SABAN, Basketball HOFer JERRY WEST and West Virginia men's basketball coach BOB HUGGINS, all West Virginia natives, endorsed the re-election of Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) yesterday in a "30 second spot aptly called 'Coaches,'" according to Brent Griffiths of POLITICO. Manchin is "facing a tough reelection fight" against West Virginia Attorney General PATRICK MORRISEY (POLITICO.com, 10/18). Saban in the ad says, "Joe and I grew up together in West Virginia, and he never forgets where he came from. I don’t have a better friend or know a better person than Joe Manchin." Huggins said that there is "no one in West Virginia that loves that state more than Manchin" (WVMETRONEWS.com, 10/17). In Birmingham, Michael Casagrande notes Saban has been "public about his friendship with the Democrat," who was previously the governor of the state. Saban “made a $2,400 contribution to Manchin’s bid to win his senate seat" in ‘10 (AL.com, 10/17).
