On Friday, Senator Joe Manchin Official Leaves Democratic Party And Officially Registers As An Independent
Sunday, June 2, 2024, 8:30 A.M. ET. By Jennifer Hodges: Englebrook Independent News,
CHARLESTON, WV.- On Friday, May 31, 2024, West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin announced that he has officially left the Democratic Party and has registered as an independent, raising questions about his political future should he seek an elected office again in West Virginia, which has turned mostly Republican over the past couple of years.
Manchin had already announced back in November that he would not seek re-election to the Senate, giving Republicans an easy path to picking up Machin’s West Virginia seat in their bid to gain the majority in the Senate next year.
Manchin has been at odds with the Democratic Party and has created roadblocks to many of President Biden’s legislative priorities. But Manchin did play a pivotal role in helping Biden get his landmark climate change and health care bill approved.
In Friday’s announcement from the State House in West Virginia, Manchin said. “From my first day in public service in 1982, I have always focused on doing what’s best for my state and country, without regard to party or politics. Throughout my days in elected office, I have always been proud of my commitment to common sense, bipartisanship, and my desire to bring people together. It’s who I am, it’s who I will always be. I have never seen America through a partisan lens.”
“However, since becoming a United States Senator in 2010, I have seen both the Democrat and Republican parties leave West Virginia and our country behind for partisan extremism while jeopardizing our democracy. Today, our national politics are broken, and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground. To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority.”
