The latest TIME profiles Democratic West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin?s tough battle for the Senate seat once held by Robert Byrd.

In the print version, Manchin is identified as popular. Why might that be true for a Democrat in a strong Republican year?

Manchin’s solid record includes cutting taxes, raising teacher salaries and building up a strong rainy-day fund, ?

Like so many other Democrats this cycle, Manchin has been working hard to prove his independence from Washington (and his own party). In a conveniently timed ? though Manchin says purely coincidental ? move, he is suing the Environmental Protection Agency regarding its new regulations on mountaintop coal mining. He’s also got a provocative new ad out, titled “Dead Aim,” in which he literally shoots a copy of Nancy Pelosi’s cap-and-trade bill.

So it?s not just Democratic U.S. House candidates who are running away from Pelosi.