West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, who recently announced that he won’t seek reelection, has warned that if former President Donald Trump were to win another term in the White House, he would “destroy democracy in America.” Manchin, a moderate Democrat, made this statement during a press call with West Virginia-based reporters. There has been speculation that he might be considering a third-party run for president.
Manchin, whose home state strongly supported Trump in the previous two presidential elections, stated that he would never want to be a “spoiler” in the election process. However, he would be willing to do whatever it takes to save the country if he were the only person capable of doing so.
The senator expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of the two-party system, claiming that it has weaponized Americans against one another. However, his strongest criticism was directed at Trump, who received overwhelming support in West Virginia. Manchin believes that giving Trump another term would be “dangerous” for the nation, pointing out his divisive rhetoric and disregard for democratic principles.
Manchin also criticized Democratic President Joe Biden, stating that he has been pushed too far to the left during his time in office.
After Manchin announced his decision not to seek reelection, Trump took credit for influencing his choice by endorsing the current West Virginia governor’s Senate bid. This move seemingly cleared the way for either GOP U.S. Representative Alex Mooney or Governor Jim Justice, both loyal Trump supporters, to run for Manchin’s seat.
Since his announcement, there has been speculation that Manchin might be considering a presidential run as a candidate with No Labels, a centrist political movement. A group supporting Manchin and retiring Utah Senator Mitt Romney has already filed paperwork to form a formal draft committee.
Manchin emphasized that he has not made any decisions regarding his future steps but expressed his intention to travel across the country to gauge interest in a centrist political movement.
The senator’s remarks came in the wake of a heated confrontation between Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma and witness Sean O’Brien during a congressional hearing. Manchin expressed his shame over the incident, citing it as an example of the growing extremism in the U.S. political system. He believes that Trump has contributed to and exploited this divisiveness.
Manchin had initially attempted to work with Trump after his election in 2016, but he found the president’s approach to politics to be contrary to the principles of public service. He criticized Trump for using the presidency for vengeful purposes and stated that it goes against the values of the country.
Manchin has played a crucial role in the closely divided Senate, notably helping pass the bipartisan infrastructure law and the inflation reduction act. He has also supported clean energy projects while maintaining support for the fossil fuel industry.
As the last powerful West Virginia Democrat advocating for coal interests in Washington, Manchin has found it increasingly difficult to align with the progressive stance of the Democratic Party, which embraces clean energy and the move away from fossil fuels.
In response to criticism about the shift in West Virginia Democrats’ alignment, Manchin defended his state’s contributions to the country and expressed frustration with being deemed not good enough or smart enough.
Overall, Manchin’s decision not to seek reelection has sparked speculation about his future political ambitions, including a potential presidential run as a centrist candidate.
