Joe Manchin.Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty
West Virginia Sen.Joe Manchinmade a surprise announcement Thursday that he won’t seek reelection to the U.S. Senate, explaining in avideo posted to social mediahe wants to create “a movement” to bring Americans together.
“After months of deliberation and long conversations with my family, I believe in my heart of hearts that I have accomplished what I set out to do for West Virginia,” the Democrat, 76, said in his statement.
“I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for re-election to the United States Senate, but what I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together,” he added.
Manchin was the governor of West Virginia from 2005 until 2010, when he was elected to the Senate in a special election. His tenure in Congress has courted controversy among fellow Democrats, as he’s repeatedly blocked the party’s agenda to appease his conservative voter base.
Manchintold bothThe HillandFox Newsin 2021 that he had offered to leave the Democratic Party and become an independent (while still voting with the Democrats) during talks about PresidentJoe Biden’s sweeping spending package,the Build Back Better Act.
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He has also fielded questions about switching parties in the past. Speaking to reporters in the wake of his colleagueKyrsten Sinema’s decision to become an independentearlier this year, Manchin said he had “no intention” of following suit — but that he wasn’t ruling out a party switch in the future.
“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,” he said, perThe Hill.
Earlier this month, he said he was “having a hard time” with his plans for the future, telling reporters during an event in Charleston: “The two-party system, unless it changes, will be the downfall of our country," theAssociated Pressreports.
source: people.com
