Sen. Joe Manchin Might Become an Independent

Sen. Joe Manchin said Thursday he is “thinking seriously” about leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an independent. He wants to get re-elected and is pulling out all the stops. He knew what he was doing when he co-sponsored the Inflation Reduction Act, raising inflation and killing fossil fuels.

“I’m thinking seriously. For me, I have to have peace of mind, basically. The brand has become so bad. The ‘D’ brand and ‘R’ brand,” Manchin (D-WV) told Mountain State radio host Hoppy Kercheval. “You’ve heard me say a million times; I am not a Washington Democrat.”

Manchin, 75, has battled with President Biden in recent months over energy policy, accusing his administration of “ignoring” provisions to expand domestic fossil fuels in the Inflation Reduction Act — which he co-sponsored and helped pass.

The senator also threatened to block nominees for the Environmental Protection Agency to protest Biden’s “radical climate agenda” following a proposal to drastically cut emissions that he said would imperil the US electric grid.

He’s right, but he already showed his true colors when he passed Biden’s agenda. If he goes Independent, he’ll still vote for Biden’s agenda. He’s a leftist Democrat, just not a communist.

He’s desperate to turn the tide of his unpopularity. He’s been begging Chuck Schumer to flood the state with ads. He trails GOP Gov. Jim Justice.

Manchin’s a fraud. He runs like a Republican and then does Schumer’s bidding once in office.

According to the Morning Consult Poll, he is among the most unpopular Senators. Only Mitch McConnell fares worse.

A poll released on Monday morning shows that Manchin’s approval rating among West Virginian’s registers is at 39 percent, while 55 percent disapprove. His net rating of -16 points is second-worst only to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who has a net rating of -29.

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