Joe Manchin, US Senator (D-WV) speaks at the Milken Conference 2024 Global Conference Sessions at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 6, 2024. REUTERS/David Swanson/
WASHINGTON, May 31 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, known for often challenging his own Democratic Party, has officially left the Democrats, citing "partisan extremism" as his reason. This move echoes the earlier decision of Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who also left the Democratic Party and registered as an independent.
Manchin, who is 76 years old and represents West Virginia, made it clear that despite leaving the party, he will continue to caucus with the Democrats, similar to Sinema. The Democrats currently hold a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate. However, Manchin's departure is unlikely to have immediate practical implications in the Senate's balance of power. Nevertheless, Republicans are expected to win his seat in the upcoming November 5 election.
In his statement, Manchin expressed deep frustration with the current state of U.S. politics. He criticized both major parties for their unwillingness to compromise and for fostering partisan extremism, which he believes is threatening democracy. "Our national politics are broken and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground," Manchin stated, emphasizing the need for a political middle ground.
Throughout his career, Manchin has been a pivotal figure in several key legislative decisions during President Joe Biden's administration, including the passage of a significant infrastructure bill. However, he has also been instrumental in reducing the scope of some major legislative proposals and, along with Sinema, has opposed changes to the filibuster, a Senate rule requiring 60 votes to advance most legislation.
Manchin, who has served in the Senate since November 2010 and previously held positions as a state legislator and governor, announced last year that he would not seek reelection. His political future has been the subject of much speculation, with some suggesting he might pursue another office. Meanwhile, Sinema has also declared she will not seek another term after her current six-year term ends.
The upcoming Senate elections present a challenging landscape for Democrats, who are defending several competitive seats, while Republicans are primarily up for reelection in strongly Republican states. Analysts predict that Republican West Virginia Governor Jim Justice is likely to win Manchin's seat with ease. The state of West Virginia showed overwhelming support for former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, where Trump received 69% of the vote compared to Biden's 30%.
This shift in the Senate, with key figures like Manchin and Sinema moving away from the Democratic Party, highlights the deepening political divides and the growing appeal of independent stances amidst increasing partisan polarization.
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The story was reported by Ismail Shakil, Katharine Jackson, and Makini Brice, and edited by Scott Malone, Rami Ayyub, Chizu Nomiyama, and Jonathan Oatis.
