From NBC's Doug Adams and Mark Murray
First Read can confirm, per a Democratic source with knowledge of the pick, that West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D) will select former general counsel Carte Goodwin to fill Robert Byrd's Senate seat until November's special election, in which Manchin is expected to run.
So who is Carte Goodwin?
He is 36 years old and currently a practicing attorney in West Virginia. He served as Manchin's general counsel from 2005-2009. He's thought to be a trusted associate of Manchin, and has known the governor since 2004, when Goodwin worked as a volunteer in his campaign.
Goodwin is also a from a prominent West Virginia family -- his uncle is a federal judge, his cousin a U.S. attorney, and his father (who recently died) had chaired the West Virginia university board of governors. Also, Goodwin's wife, Rochelle, is the state director for soon-to-be colleague -- Sen. Jay Rockefeller.
Goodwin left office in January of last year to go back into private practice as an attorney. He's currently a partner at his family's law firm based in Charleston, appropriately named Goodwin & Goodwin.
Here is his bio at Goodwin & Goodwin...
Bio:
-- General Counsel to West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III, 2005-2009
-- Chairman, School Building Authority Member,
-- Consolidated Public Retirement Board Chairman,
-- Governor's Advisory Committee on Judicial Nominations
-- Clerk for the Honorable Robert B. King, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1999-2000
Practice details:
-- Representing clients in civil litigation throughout West Virginia's state and federal courts.
-- Representing clients in mass and class action litigation.
-- Representing clients in various commercial transactions as well as the formation and organization of business entities.
-- Representing clients in the preparation and registration of federal trademark applications, license agreements and intellectual property litigation.
Education:
-- Marietta College, B.A., Philosophy, magna cum laude 1996
-- The Emory University School of Law, Doctor of Law, 1999
-- Order of the Coif
-- Executive Notes & Comments Editor, Emory International Law Review
-- Authored "Live, In Concert and Beyond: A New Standard of Contributory Copyright Infringement." 13 Emory Int'l L. Rev. 345 (1999)
Location of West Virginia 
, governor of West Virginia, named attorney  to replace the late , who died at age 92 on June 28, in the U.S. Senate until a  is held. Goodwin will be sworn in next Tuesday.

The special election has not been scheduled; however, it could occur as early as November 2. Senator , member of the Democratic Party in West Virginia, says that the appointment of the Senate's 59th Democrat is crucial to passing an unemployment benefits bill that has been blocked by members of the Republican Party.

"My responsibility is to work very hard every day to maintain the trust of the people of West Virginia," Goodwin said. "My sole objective will be to make West Virginia proud. I'm excited about the challenge. I'm looking forward to it," he added.

Goodwin, who is 36, will become the youngest member of the Senate.  He served as an adviser to Governor Manchin from 2005 to 2009.  Before this assignment was announced, Goodwin worked as an associate in his family's -based law firm.