Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has put Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on notice by declaring that he’s “not a Washington Democrat.”
Manchin made the remark while suggesting that he may leave the Democratic Party at some point in the future.
The comments from Manchin come after Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced last week that she has left the Democrats and registered as an independent, sending shockwaves through D.C.
Manchin said he had no plans to follow Sinema and leave now.
However, he is up for re-election in a deep red state so leaving the party could help his chances.
“I’ll look at all of these things,” Manchin said.
“I’ve always looked at all those things, but I have no intention of doing anything right now.
“Whether I do something later, I can’t tell you what the future is going to bring.”
“I’m not a Washington Democrat,” Manchin asserted.
“I don’t know what else to tell you.
“And if a Washington independent is — we’ll see what happens there. We’ll have to look.
“People are registering more for independent than any other party affiliation.
“They are sick and tired of it.
“And I can tell you that people in the United States are very upset.
“West Virginia is upset.
“They don’t like the bickering that goes on.
“They want unity.
“They want us to work together and that’s what I try to do every day.
“I don’t know how you get more independent than I am,” he said.
Joe Manchin on whether he’ll become an independent and leave the Dem Party. “I’ll look at all of these things. I’ll look at every circumstance, and I have no intention of doing anything right now. Whether I do something later I can’t tell you what the future is going to bring.” pic.twitter.com/W6GkJQNjKN
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 12, 2022
Manchin: “I’m not a Washington Democrat. I don’t know what else to tell you. … And if a Washington independent is — we’ll see what happens there. We’ll have to look. People are registering more for independent than any other party affiliation, they are sick and tired of it.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 12, 2022
Manchin has previously thought about leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent.
He even threatened to switch in October last year.
“I said, me being a moderate centrist Democrat if that causes you a problem, let me know and I’d switch to be an independent.
“But I’d still be caucusing with Democrats,” he said at the time.
