US Senator Joe Manchin says 'thinking seriously' about leaving Democratic Party

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, a maverick Democrat who has often bucked party leadership, told a radio station in his home state of West Virginia on Thursday that he is “thinking seriously” about leaving the party.

“I’m not a Washington Democrat,” Manchin said in the interview on Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval, a West Virginia Metro News show. “I’ve been thinking seriously about that (becoming an independent) for quite some time.”

Manchin and Democratic-turned-independent colleague Senator Kyrsten Sinema have been thorns in top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer’s side since the party won its majority in 2020. Democrats hold a 51-49 majority, including three independents who caucus with them.

Last month Manchin further stirred Democratic concerns with an appearance in the early-voting state of New Hampshire with the “No Labels” group, where he mulled starting a third-party presidential campaign in 2024, challenging Democratic President Joe Biden. Having a third-party candidate would “threaten” the two major political parties, Manchin said.

Manchin has used his influence to block legislation that he opposes - including expanding voting rights protections and child tax credits - and to ensure passage of bills he supports, such as a major tax and climate law that passed last summer.

He faces a tough re-election bid next year in Republican-leaning West Virginia, which former President Donald Trump won by almost 39 percentage points in 2020. Manchin has not yet said if he will seek re-election, but he would face an even steeper road if he spurned his party and the fundraising support it can provide.

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, a former Democrat-turned Republican, began his campaign in April for the Republican nomination to seek Manchin’s seat.

Manchin, a popular former governor who was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010, has kept his seat in part by maintaining a reputation as a rare conservative Democrat in Washington.

Karzyn,

Many comments here are complaining about Manchin without taking the time to consider the political acrobatics necessary to win a statewide office in West Virginia as a Democrat. Yes, he’s been a pain in the ass but a Republican in that seat would be much, much worse. If nothing else, he’s a point towards control of the chamber. Sinema is a different story because she ran as being more progressive than she ended up being and because Kelly is proof positive that an actual Democrat could have won on Arizona. Manchin has never shied away from what he stands for and is probably the only person who could keep the seat blue. So yeah, hate his politics all you want but recognize that him leaving the party would be a terrible thing.

bedrooms,

This kind of balanced view is one reason I stay in fediverse and don't go back to Reddit.

gaytswiftfan,

this take was a top level comment in any thread involving manchin lol

Swallowtail,

I’m a politics junkie and have seen many posts like this on Reddit. If anything I’d say up to now the fediverse has been farther left leaning in my experience.

bedrooms,

Thing is, I'm not talking about left vs right.

Chetzemoka,
Chetzemoka avatar

"Robert Carlyle Byrd served as a United States senator from West Virginia for over 51 years, from 1959 until his death in 2010. A Democrat, Byrd also served as a U.S. representative for six years, from 1953 until 1959. He remains the longest-serving U.S. Senator in history"

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Byrd

middlemuddle,

Seriously. I get being frustrated with him and wishing for someone better, but that’s just not realistic. There are pathways to reduce his power by supporting candidates that can flip a seat in other states, but his seat is only ever likely to get more red.

acastcandream,

I live in a very red state and I feel like people just don’t understand how bad the alternative is. I’d take Manchin over my GOP senators.

bluegreenzeros,

IMO the difference between Manchin and MOST GOP Congress members is that since he’s wearing a blue tie, he’s allowed to do things that are commonly believed, but against the GOP groupthink. Outside of the “freedom” caucus and the political stunts and cultural war red herrings, I’d reckon Manchin agrees with more Republicans than Democrats.

acastcandream, (edited )

It’s all publicly available info, and you’re actually very incorrect with that guess.

No Republican would vote with the democrats at that rate in either chamber of Congress.

bluegreenzeros,

Agreeing with is not the same as voting or publicly campaigning for. These are all things that happen within the political theater, where of course it’s hyper divided.

If you had a conversation with Manchin or many a Republican, you’d most likely find they agreed on most things, but since they’re both bound by playing a political game the outcomes are vastly different.

acastcandream,

deleted_by_author

    •
    bluegreenzeros,

    Have you actually read my first comment? Who said anything about prioritization? The only thing I’m arguing is that outside of the political theater and political tribalism that causes all politicians to act and vote for things that aren’t aligned with their own beliefs, that Manchin agrees more with republicans than your average Democrat.

    You’re reading a lot into my comments, but not disputing any actual points.

    FlashMobOfOne,
    @FlashMobOfOne@beehaw.org avatar

    So yeah, hate his politics all you want but recognize that him leaving the party would be a terrible thing.

    The reason why things are never going to get better is that 49% of us pretend a Republican’s okay because they’re wearing a blue suit.

    AnarchoYeasty,

    That Republican in a blue suit has stopped a lot of terrible decisions and enabled us to make strides in improving our country. We would be a hell of a lot worse off without him.

    FlashMobOfOne,
    @FlashMobOfOne@beehaw.org avatar

    Sure, Jan.

    FlowVoid, (edited )

    Manchin consistently votes with Democrats whenever his vote matters.

    When his vote doesn’t matter, I don’t care how he votes or what he says.

    Lowbird,

    The huge infrastrastructure bill he and Sinema tanked, though.

    FlowVoid,

    The infrastructure bill was resurrected as the Inflation Reduction Act, which Manchin voted for.

    raccoona_nongrata,
    @raccoona_nongrata@beehaw.org avatar

    deleted_by_author

    •
    acastcandream, (edited )

    deleted_by_author

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    DeForrest_McCoy,

    He may as well be one the way he votes.

    plantstho,

    Tfw you haven’t been in the headlines for a while because there’s nothing left to obstruct

    prole,

    Good riddance.

    Shikadi,

    Good, leave so they replace you

    AnarchoYeasty,

    It’s west Virginia. The democrats aren’t going to replace him the GOP will.

    Shikadi,

    Gah crap.

    Noughmad,

    Still. It will remove a talking point from the “democrats have the majority but they still won’t pass , so you better vote for republicans” people. When all democrats but those two voted for it, and all republicans voted against it.

    AnarchoYeasty,

    It removes a talking point and gives the GOP more control of the Senate.

    glitchead,

    And nothing of value will be lost on that day.

    Bruisedback,

    I'm not a political analyst in any capacity and this is pure conjecture, but my gut is telling me that he's getting info that enough West Virginia republicans are willing to vote independent to carry him over the line in the next election. So, walking that out, if republicans are willing to break straight ticket voting to keep a "half-flipped democrat" in office, I think that speaks more to the fracturing of their voting bloc than the acumen of an individual politician who seems to be seeking office for personal gain over party goals. I'm very interested to see how much money is spent on this race this/next year.

    ArugulaZ,
    ArugulaZ avatar

    Don't let the door hit you on the way out. After all, that ass is owned by the coal industry, and they don't want it to be bruised.

    magnetosphere,
    magnetosphere avatar

    Last month Manchin further stirred Democratic concerns with an appearance in the early-voting state of New Hampshire with the “No Labels” group, where he mulled starting a third-party presidential campaign in 2024, challenging Democratic President Joe Biden. Having a third-party candidate would “threaten” the two major political parties, Manchin said.

    He thinks WAY too highly of himself. He might complicate the Republican vote, but he wouldn’t threaten Biden.

    chaogomu,

    He's much more likely to pull from republican voters than democratic. So he should go ahead and try. All of these conservatives who don't like Trump wanting to run as third party candidates, thinking they'll get support from the Democratic voters... Kind of makes me laugh.

    Omegamanthethird,

    I think you underestimate the number of conservative Dems or “centrists” who would take the opportunity to not vote for Democrats.

    “Moderate” Republicans are the exact opposite of that. They will hold their nose and toe the line. Do you know how many times I heard “I don’t like him but…” back in 2016? Literally any excuse to vote R and they will justify it.

    ABotelho,

    Good. Fucking do it.

    downpunxx,
    downpunxx avatar

    Republican Joe Manchin wants to make it official. Villain scumbag.

    sin_free_for_00_days,

    “I’m not a Washington Democrat,” Manchin said in the interview

    Fucker’s not a Democrat. Well, fake, shitty, whatever pejorative you want to fill in works.

    donut4ever,

    Oh dude, please don’t threaten with a good time. Take that asshole Sinema with you, too, please.

    BraveSirZaphod,
    BraveSirZaphod avatar

    Oh no, the Dems have now lost the Senate and will be unable to appoint any judges, the importance of which I think has become abundantly clear over the past several years, but at least, for a brief moment, we got a little ideological satisfaction.

    donut4ever,

    And you think this dude and Sinema would ever help the Dems in any way?

    BraveSirZaphod,
    BraveSirZaphod avatar

    Justice Jackson is on the Supreme Court, and would not be if Manchin (or Sinema, for that matter) hadn't approved.

    So yes, they have helped the Dems. Not to mention, every significant piece of legislation that passed in the last Congress could have been killed by either of them.

    middlemuddle,

    I don’t want to just angrily respond to a quip, but have you not been paying any attention at all for the last 2 years? Every big win for Biden, along with countless federal judge positions, have gotten approved through Manchin’s involvement. Sinema’s, too, unfortunately. Sinema is a liar, deserves no respect, and Arizona would be happy to elect a progressive democrat in her place. But Manchin, as annoying as he is, is probably the best we can expect from West Virginia. Him switching to Independent doesn’t mean a GenZ progressive is going to win his seat from him next election, it just means we lose an ally that is helping hold on to a very tenuous “majority” in the Senate. I don’t like him, but you cannot discount the fact that he has helped the Democrats a hell of a lot in the last couple years by mostly voting alongside them.

    ExoMonk,

    Wait, Joe Manchin is a democrat? /s

    mooncabbage,

    Don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Actually, do let it hit you on the way out.

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