Joe Manchin.Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty
West Virginia Sen.Joe Manchinsays he’s “thinking” about switching his political affiliation from Democrat to independent, but hasn’t yet made the decision one way or the other.
“I would think very seriously about that. I’ve been thinking about that for quite some time. I haven’t made any decisions whatsoever on any of my political direction,” the West Virginia lawmaker said during an interview withMetroNewsTalklinethis week. “I want to make sure my voice is truly an independent voice, when I’m speaking I’m speaking about the good the Republicans do and the good the Democrats continue to do.”
Manchin has openly mused about switching political affiliations in the past, particularly after Sen. Kyrsten Sinema made thedecision to leave the Democratic Party and become an independentlast December.
Speaking to reporters after Sinema’s announcement, Manchin said he had “no intention” of making the same decision, but added: “Whether I do something later, I can’t tell you what the future’s going to bring. I can only tell you where I am and my mindset,“The Hillreported.
Manchin — who is up for reelection in 2024 — comes from a storied Democratic family, but is often cited as the most conservative member of his party in the Senate.
He has described himself as a “moderate Democrat” but has swatted down rumors of leaving the party in the past, telling reporters in 2022 that an anonymously sourced report about a plan to switch his party affiliation was “bull—-.”
“I can’t control rumors, and it’s bull—-, bull—- spelled with b, u, l, l, capital B!” Manchin said at the time,perThe Hill.
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“If it is ‘embarrassing’ to them to have a moderate, centrist Democrat in the mix and if it would help them publicly, I could become an independent,” he claimed he offered.
source: people.com
