Sen. Joe Manchin leaves the Democratic Party and registers as an independent

NBC news ^ | May 31, 2023 | Kate Santaliz

[Reily]

Sen. Joe Manchin leaves the Democratic Party and registers as an independent Manchin's decision, after years of bucking party leadership, could allow him to run for governor or try for another Senate term this fall after ruling out doing so as a Democrat.

[TBP]

I have heard that he and Gov. Jim Justice don’t get along. I don’t know if that’s true, but I’ve heard it from different sources.

[nfldgirl]

Precisely, so what was the purpose of him going independent? What am I missing here?

[Bonemaker]

Just like that sorry loser peckerhead Angus King,(I- ME).

[deweyfrank]

Should have done this a year ago. Oh, wait! And what difference did it make?

[Reily]

I think it’s true! I’ve heard that from multiple sources, but no one has ever given me a coherent believable reason. I just don’t believe it’s just politics*. Manchin once was in the coal business - a coal broker, i.e. buyer\seller. Something since launching his political career Manchin downplays. I don’t have any direct knowledge in this but given Justice and his family’s past poor ethical behavior in the business I can see them clashing.

*Remember Justice was originally a Republican, switched to be a Rat to run for governor. (Operating theory then you have to be a Rat to win in WV. The “Great Change 2012\2016” that was occurring in WV had really sunk into peoples’ heads yet!) Justice switched back to GOP after Trump won in 2016. Some people say that’s origin of their animosity. I have trouble believing that.

Note: It used to be common in the coal biz (I don’t mean a miner!) that you had to be registered Rat. If you were publicly known as GOP you were asking for business trouble.

[bert]

Manchin was

[Reily]

Some people say to try and sneak back into his seat via independent run or run on the Mountain Party ticket. (Mountain Party - a local very very left-wing environmental wacko 3rd party!) A few say he’s trying to position himself to be Trump’s VP nominee - be the Andrew Johnson to Trump’s Lincoln. (Johnson was a Unionist Democrat from Tennessee!) Both are delusional; polls showed that Manchin couldn’t beat Justice as the Rat nominee so he’s not going to beat Justice as an independent or 3rd party. All he will do is make Justice’s victory look larger. Other delusion - Trump’s VP nominee. Well, you tell me!

[nfldgirl]

Trump’s VP? Just as delusional as Hayley.

[SunkenCiv]

That's not joe mansion. That's the White House.

• West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin registers as an independent [05/31/2024]
• Manchin registering as independent in West Virginia [05/31/2024]
• West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin leaves Democratic Party, registers as independent [05/31/2024]

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[Reily]

The WV polls showed him losing to Justice and barely beating the other GOP opponent - Mooney. The only splitting that will occur will be on the Rat side.

The thing I am surprised about is there has been no effort (yet!) to use the courts to take down Justice. Plenty of real pre-govenor “warts” there they could go after.