Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced on Friday that he has officially registered as an independent, severing his formal ties with the Democratic Party just one day after former President Donald Trump was convicted of 34 felonies in Democrat-dominated Manhattan.
Manchin, who has frequently broken ranks with Democrats during his tenure, said the shift away from either major party reflects his belief that “our national politics are broken and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground.”
“To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority,” Manchin stated.
The centrist senator from the heavily Republican state had already announced last November that he would not seek re-election in 2024. However, his decision to leave the Democratic Party altogether injects new uncertainty as to his next move.
Manchin did not clarify whether he still plans to caucus with Senate Democrats, which would allow him to retain his chairmanship of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Nor did he indicate if he is considering a potential run for another office like governor.
As a centrist, Manchin has frequently positioned himself as a swing vote, often stymieing or altering President Joe Biden’s agenda items like the poorly-named Inflation Reduction Act and Build Back Better plan. His foreign policy stances have also contrasted with the White House at times.
By officially separating from the Democratic party, Manchin appears to be leaving open options like an independent re-election bid, a third-party presidential run which he previously ruled out, or even retiring from politics.
“Over the past 15 years I have seen both major parties leave their constituents behind for partisan extremism while jeopardizing our democracy,” the 75-year-old senator lamented in announcing his departure.
Manchin’s unique position as a wild card could allow him to wield even more influence in the narrowly divided Senate over the remainder of Biden’s term as neither party can afford to lose his swing vote.
At the same time, officially leaving the Democratic party ranks could open Manchin to critiques of selfishly abdicating leadership amid high-stakes battles over key issues like debt ceiling negotiations.
With a potential Senate power vacuum looming in West Virginia after 2024, Manchin’s independence play injects new uncertainty into an already volatile political environment on Capitol Hill.
Manchin’s long-term motives and his next move remains an open question.