Joe Manchin Files as Independent, Citing Need for ‘Common Ground’

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) registered as an independent with no party affiliation on Friday, citing “partisan extremism.”

Key Quotes: “Today, our national politics are broken and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground,” Manchin said, adding, “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.” In an X post, Manchin also said, “Let’s work together to fix America. Don’t hate the other side. There’s only one side - the American side - and we have to work together to save our country.”

For Context: Manchin announced in November that he would not seek reelection to the Senate. Along with fellow formerly-Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Manchin was instrumental in limiting some of President Joe Biden’s more ambitious legislative spending proposals, including the initial version of the “Build Back Better” bill.

How the Media Covered It: Coverage was common and generally similar in mainstream politics-focused outlets. Headlines in right-rated outlets appeared more likely to say Manchin “left the Democrats,” although the Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) muddied the waters with the homepage headline: “Joe Manchin leaves the party but does not abandon Democrats,” referencing a Manchin spokesperson’s confirmation that he would continue caucusing with Democrats. Meanwhile, an AP (Lean Left bias) headline highlighted Manchin’s opposition to “partisan extremism,” and The Guardian (Lean Left bias) said the move “raises further questions about his future political plans.”