Headline Roundup • December 19th, 2022
Will Manchin Follow Sinema's Footsteps and Leave the Democratic Party?
Summary from the AllSides News Team
On CBS's Face The Nation on Sunday, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) indicated that he might leave the Democratic Party.
Key Quotes: “If people are trying to stop something from doing so much good because of politics, thinking somebody else will get credit for it, let’s see how that plays out. And then I’ll let you know later what I decide to do,” Manchin said.
For Context: Manchin's remarks come after Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announced on December 8 that she was leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an independent. Manchin also raised concerns in the party earlier this month when he would'nt commit to running for re-election in 2024. He reportedly floated the idea of leaving the party when he sparred with fellow Democrats over the Build Back Better agenda in July.
How the Media Covered It: Manchin's remarks were covered by sources across the political spectrum. Right-rated sources focusing on the problem Manchin's departure would cause for the Democratic Party. Some left-rated sources framed Manchin's noncommittal stance as a sign that he's not looking to change his party affiliation right now.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Sarah Silbiger/Reuters
The centrist Democratic senator Joe Manchin does not intend to change his party affiliation – at least for now, he said on Sunday.
Manchin’s remarks on CBS’s Face the Nation came after fellow centrist senator Kyrsten Sinema sent shock waves through Congress by announcing that she was leaving the Democratic party and listing herself as an independent.
“I’ll let you know later what I decide to do, but right now, I have no intentions of changing anything,” Manchin told host Margaret Brennan, who had asked the West Virginian if there was any...
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) on Sunday sidestepped questions about whether he’d leave the Democratic Party after being asked about his comments regarding his serving in the Senate as an “independent voice.”
Manchin avoided saying outright if he’d join fellow centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), who shocked Washington earlier this month by announcing that she would become an Independent.
The West Virginia Democrat instead criticized hyperpartisanship in Congress and said he would wait and see how the bipartisan infrastructure bill and the Inflation Reduction Act play out before making a decision about his affiliation.
...
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has been a frustration for many Democrats as one of the deciding votes in the evenly split Senate, but he could deal the party more headaches before 2024.
One of Manchin's allies in the Senate, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), recently defected from the Democratic Party and has filed the necessary initial paperwork to fundraise for a reelection bid in 2024. Sinema's defection puts the Arizona Democratic Party in a tough position for the pivotal 2024 Senate race in the Grand Canyon State.
Manchin is another pivotal seat Democrats need to hold...
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