U.S. News: Governor Names Ally to Byrd Seat
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin named a political ally Friday to temporarily succeed the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd, clearing the way for Mr. Manchin to seek the seat in a special election.</br></br>Carte Goodwin, a 36-year-old Charleston attorney and Mr. Manchin's former general counsel, will hold the Senate seat until a special election expected in November. Mr. Manchin is likely to be a candidate in that race; Mr. Goodwin said he won't run. Both are Democrats.</br></br>State lawmakers were meeting Friday to set the process for the election. The term of Mr. Byrd, who died last month at age 92 after more than 50 years in the Senate, expires in 2012.</br></br>"I'm truly confident that Carte Goodwin will look out for West Virginia and will do us proud," said Mr. Manchin on Friday at the state capitol in Charleston. He praised Mr. Goodwin for helping draft state mine-safety laws in 2006 after several deadly coal-mining accidents.</br></br>Minutes after Mr. Goodwin is sworn in as a senator Tuesday, he "will make the 60th vote" needed to ensure passage of a bill to extend unemployment benefits, said Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D., W.Va.). The bill has been stalled since Mr. Byrd's death. Republicans and one Democrat, Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, have opposed the bill because it would add to the deficit.