Manchin says he will vote against Democrats’ sweeping voting rights bill

Sen. Joe Manchin said Sunday will vote against the sweeping federal election reform bill introduced by congressional Democrats, called the For the People Act, a move essentially guaranteeing the legislation will fail to pass in Congress.

“I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening blinds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For The People Act,” the moderate West Virginia Democrat wrote wrote in an op-ed published in the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

“The truth, I would argue, is that voting and election reform that is done in a partisan manner will all but ensure partisan divisions continue to deepen,” Manchin wrote.

The voting rights bill, also known as S.1, would require a minimum of 10 GOP votes to move past the filibuster and move to a final vote on passage.