Sen. Joe Manchin Considers Leaving Democratic Party, Mulls Becoming Independent

Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia has once again hinted at the possibility of leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent. In an interview with a West Virginia radio program, Manchin expressed his dissatisfaction with both the Democratic and Republican parties, stating that their brands have become “so bad” and are not acceptable to him.

Despite being up for reelection next year, Manchin has not yet announced his intentions. He has been known to defy party priorities in the past, such as refusing to support the expanded child tax credit and filibuster reform. Instead, he has shown support for a more limited energy and climate measure called the Inflation Reduction Act.

While Manchin could technically leave the Democratic Party and still caucus with Democrats in the Senate, allowing them to maintain their majority, he has suggested that becoming an independent could help him win in a general election in West Virginia, where voters heavily favored Donald Trump over Joe Biden in 2020.

This potential move by Manchin follows in the footsteps of another moderate senator, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, who left the Democratic Party last year to avoid a difficult primary challenge. Manchin had previously hinted at the possibility of following suit, emphasizing that he is not a “Washington Democrat” and expressing his frustration with the current state of party politics.

As the political landscape continues to evolve, Manchin’s potential departure from the Democratic Party could have significant implications for both his own political future and the balance of power in the Senate. Stay tuned for further developments on this story.