'I will not give up': Manchin likely won’t follow Sinema’s lead in switching parties

21 December 2022

West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin will likely remain a member of the Democratic party, ABC News Channel 12 reports. Rumors of his possible party switch surfaced following his colleague Kyrsten Sinema’s recent decision to move from Democrat to Independent.

During an interview with CBS’ Face the Nation, Margaret Brennan spoke to the senator about the possibility of becoming an Independent due to his frustration with politics in the nation’s capital.

The chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said in a statement last week, “as frustrating as the political games of Washington are, I will not give up.”

He continued, “As I have said from my first day in office, I serve West Virginians and the American people with an independent voice not a political part. What is clearer now than ever is that party politics are paralyzing our nation’s ability to unite around the solutions our country needs."

Brennan brought up to the senator that he’s mentioned “toxic tribal politics.” She asked him, “Why are you staying a member of this tribe if it’s so toxic?”

“I really don’t put much validity in the identity of being a Republican (or) Democrat. I think we’re all Americans,” he said. “I speak out against the Democratic party and against the Republican party when [they are] wrong.”

Before considering the idea of exiting the Democratic party, Manchin said he wants to first see how two “really historic” pieces of legislation play out.

“Do you see an advantage in this environment to becoming unaffiliated–to be becoming an Independent?” Brennan asked.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure bill and the Inflation Reduction Act–let’s see how [they] play out,” he said. “If people are trying to stop something from doing so much good because of the politics, thinking that somebody else will get credit for it, let’s see how that plays out, and I’ll let you know later what I decide to do. But right now, I have no intentions of changing anything except working for West Virginians, trying to give them more opportunities, better quality of life, and basically making sure our country is energy secured."

Watch the interview here.

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