'A personal betrayal': Democratic lawmakers are growing increasingly impatient with Manchin

02 May 2023

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and his Democratic colleagues are rapidly approaching an impasse as he continues to make his centrist views known.

In a new analysis, Politico's Josh Siegel began with a brief overview of all that has transpired between Manchin and Democratic lawmakers over the last few weeks.

"The West Virginia Democrat has spent weeks escalating his attacks on President Joe Biden’s implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, the sweeping bill that Manchin helped write in a deal that stunned Washington last summer," Siegel wrote. "Last week, he threatened to join Republicans in voting to repeal the law, as the House GOP is demanding in its legislation for raising the nation’s debt limit."

Siegel also noted: "Manchin’s fellow Democrats understand that his reelection could determine whether they retain their slim 51-seat Senate majority in 2024."

"But they are also growing weary of his attacks against their marquee climate law — even if they’ve come to expect it and know there’s little they can do to change his mind," he added. "And his votes against Democratic policies and Biden nominees have already complicated his party’s agenda in the 51-49 Senate."

For many of Manchin's colleagues, his threat to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act takes his pushback to a whole new level.

In addition to Democratic lawmakers, lobbyists have also expressed concern about the centrist lawmaker. Liam Donovan, a lobbyist with the who previously did work for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, weighed in with his take on Manchin.

“When you’re Joe Manchin it never hurts to be seen butting heads with the administration, but I think this is genuine umbrage over the fact Congressional intent seems pretty clear, even if the statutory construction left room for Treasury to maneuver,” said Donovan. “And given that he would not have been on board for the bill at all had this been the understanding, it reads as a personal betrayal.”

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