U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin has stated that he is considering leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent in Charleston.
The West Virginia legislator, who has gained national recognition as a swing vote on significant spending packages in the divided U.S. Senate, made his remarks on MetroNews “Talkline” on Thursday.
Manchin stated that he has been considering this topic for some time and has not yet made a political decision. He also stressed the importance of speaking from an independent perspective, emphasizing the strengths of both the Republicans and Democrats.
Although Manchin has not made an official announcement regarding his reelection bid, Gov. Jim Justice and Rep. Alex Mooney, both Republicans, have already announced their plans to run for his Senate seat. Justice was recruited by the senator as a Democrat to campaign for governor before switching to the GOP during his first term at Congressional Park Assembly.
The most serious remarks made by Manchin on Thursday concerning the possibility of transitioning to independent status.
He stated that he requires peace of mind, but in West Virginia, the brand and policies are not as good as they used to be.
Manchin’s vote in the Democratic caucus has become a source of frustration for his colleagues, who fear that he may lose their slim majority power.
Manchin’s decision to withdraw his support for a $2 trillion social and environment bill from the White House in December 2021 was one of his most shocking criticisms of either party, as it dealt ill-advanced damage to Biden’S leading domestic initiative during his first year in office.
After several months, Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer came up with a compromise package that resulted in the passage of an affordable domestic bill that focused on healthcare and climate change.