Betrayals can happen on a whim in politics. And some are totally unexpected.
As Capitol Hill was put in a state of shock after this senator stabbed Democrats in the back.
Joe Manchin Continues to Frustrate Democrats; Supports GOP Candidates
Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), who recently transitioned from Democrat to independent, is preparing to financially support centrist candidates across party lines through his Country Roads PAC.
As the West Virginia senator approaches retirement, he plans to allocate funds to candidates who share his centrist values, including Republicans. His immediate contributions will include $5,000 each to Sen. Angus King (I-ME), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME).
“Bottom line: all three always put country over party,” Manchin expressed in a CNN op-ed which was published this past Tuesday.
“They don’t care if it’s a Democratic or Republican idea; they care if it’s a solution for America.”
Potential future recipients of Manchin’s support include Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) and New York Democratic congressional candidate and former CNN host John Avlon, contingent on their success in the primaries. This information was shared by Jon Kott, a former Manchin staffer now at Capitol Counsel, who will manage the newly restructured multicandidate Country Roads PAC.
Manchin, known for his bipartisan efforts and criticism of the polarized two-party system, has a history of supporting centrist GOP Senators such as Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). His PAC contributed $10,000 to Murkowski’s 2022 reelection campaign.
“My financial donations will not level the playing field or fix our broken system,” Manchin wrote in his op-ed. “But I believe they send an important message to voters, donors, and companies that we all can and should do our part to change the system.”
Manchin aims to back candidates committed to bipartisan collaboration, protecting the filibuster in the Senate, opposing threats to democracy, and prioritizing national interests over party loyalty.
Although Manchin, 76, is not seeking reelection, he has sparked speculation about a possible third-party candidacy for other offices in West Virginia following his departure from the Democratic Party in May. He continues to caucus with Democrats and serves as chairman of the Senate Energy Committee.
Despite his statement that he has “no intentions of running for political office,” Manchin hinted at remaining open to future possibilities.
“You never close any doors,” he told the Washington Examiner. “I’ve been around for a long time, and you never say never because you never know, especially in the toxic political world that we live in.”
With plans to retire from Congress in January, Manchin still possesses substantial campaign funds. Country Roads PAC had nearly $1.2 million in cash on hand as of late March, according to federal campaign finance records. His personal fundraising amounts to nearly $8.5 million, leaving open the question of how these funds might be utilized in the future.
The West Virginia senator’s flip from Democrat to independent has been one that has frustrated the Left, particularly those who align themselves with the more progressive wing of the Democrat Party.
But those who identify themselves as radical members of the Left are too blinded by the fact that their extreme ideologies are pushing more old-school liberals like Manchin away from the Party.
This type of division is the last thing the Democrats need heading into a massive election in November.
And while Joe Manchin is no conservative, his opposition to the radical Left is something to be admired.
Perhaps he can encourage other moderate Leftists to do the same and call out the Democrat Party’s woke agenda that has become so destructive to the United States.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
