In a step closer to re-election in the fall, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in West Virginia in Tuesday's primary.

The AP reports Manchin defeated Paula Jean Swearengin, according to unofficial results.

Swearengin is an accounting clerk and a native of Mullens, West Virginia.

Manchin has served as a U.S. senator representing West Virginia since November 2010.

“For me, it’s always been about working for West Virginia and that will never change," Manchin stated in a press release following his victory. "The people of our state are so special: we’ve done the heavy lifting and built the middle class. But we’ve got more work to do. We need to secure our coal miners’ pensions, protect our seniors, keep the promises we’ve made to our veterans, fix the epidemic of drug addiction, expand broadband, protect healthcare, and grow opportunities for all West Virginians. I was asked today why I say 'Washington sucks.' It’s because some people in Washington care more about dividing us and playing politics than getting to work and solving these problems. I’ve always believed you can’t build anything up if you’re tearing each other down. That’s got to change, and this campaign is about bringing people together who care about making life better for Americans who work hard for a paycheck."

In public office, the senator has been a champion for coal country. In 2017, he was able to secure funding for coal miner’s health benefits for over 22,000 miners in West Virginia. He also worked to pass the Miners Protection Act. The United Mine Workers of America endorsed Manchin for re-election.

Manchin was born and raised in Farmington, West Virginia – a small coal mining town.

Before being elected to Congress, Manchin served as Governor of West Virginia for six years and Secretary of State for four years.

Manchin says he is committed to bringing a spirit of bipartisanship to Washington.

Job creation is the senator’s top priority.

You can read more about where he stands on the issues

On the November ballot, Manchin will defend his seat against Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, the winner of Tuesday’s primary on the Republican side of the race for the U.S. West Virginia seat.

His wife Gayle is most recently the former Secretary of Education and the Arts in West Virginia. Together they have three children and 10 grandchildren.