Manchin's announcement sparks reactions

Nov. 9—Not that anyone was surprised, but when Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., made his long-anticipated announcement on Thursday afternoon that he would not seek reelection, newspapers around the state quickly pieced together brief stories, posted them online as breaking news and promised further developments.

Big-city papers, too, got in on the act. The Washington Post ran a news story online — "Senate Democrat Joe Manchin says he will not seek reelection" — along with an analysis, "Joe Manchin and the decline of the split-ticket Senate." The New York Times posted a story that carried the headline "Manchin Says He Will Not Seek Re-election, Dealing Blow to Democrats."

True enough, Manchin has been at the center of attention and power in the Senate, often holding the swing vote and outsized influence as Democrats held slim majorities in 2020 and 2022, often needing Vice President Kamala Harris to break tie votes.

But he still managed to give the Democrats control of the Senate, important especially when filling the federal judiciary or writing and passing the landmark Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that set up $400 billion collectively to help finance clean technology projects.

Now, the Democrats have a big hill to climb. In 2024, the party will be defending 23 seats, two in states that voted overwhelming for Donald Trump in both 2016 and 2020 and a few more that narrowly favored Joe Biden. In West Virginia, the former president is wildly popular, winning with 69 percent of the vote in both 2016 and 2020.

In D.C., Manchin was seen as the only Democrat with a chance of holding the seat. But folks back home, even those in his corner, knew better. Again, no shocker, here.

Having served as governor for six years before his election to the Senate in 2010, and having begun his service to the state back in 1982 when he was elected to the state Senate, Manchin was experienced at reading the political tea leaves in his home state.

And he could read the handwriting on the wall, too.

An early September poll had Gov. Jim Justice, the presumed Republican candidate for the Senate, beating Manchin by double digits, 51 percent to 38 percent.

The response to Manchin's announcement from fellow politicians and policy hawks ranged from congratulatory to critical, from weighing the prospects of the Senate flipping to the Republicans to calculating the odds of whether the lifelong Democrat would run for the presidency under the centrist No Labels flag. In his prepared statement, he said that he would be "traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together."

From the progressive side of the nation's political dial, Adam Green, a founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, told The New York Times, "Joe Manchin watered down the Democratic economic agenda, made the cost of raising children higher and billionaire taxes lower, and now doesn't even run for re-election.

"History, and West Virginians who are struggling," Green said, "will not judge Joe Manchin well."

Back home, reaction was more kind.

In a press release of her own, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said, "Thank you Joe and Gayle for your years of service to our beloved West Virginia. I've enjoyed serving alongside you — our senior senator. And as you said, we still have much work ahead of us. Thank you for your friendship, Joe. I look forward to that continuing."

During an editorial board session at the Bluefield Daily Telegraph in 2014, Capito was asked about Manchin. She laughed when recalling that the first time she met him, he was installing carpet in her house.

"I've known Joe for probably 30 years," Capito said at the time. "My husband and I bought carpet for our home in Charleston from him. He knows the challenges involved in operating a family business. I think we will be able to work together in a bipartisan way."

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice also cut though the political rancor, saying in his own prepared statement, "Sen. Joe Manchin and I have not always agreed on policy and politics, but we're both lifelong West Virginians who love this state beyond belief, and I respect and thank him for his many years of public service."

President Biden, who was often at odds with the conservative Democrat from the Mountain State, sent along his appreciation, saying, "For more than forty years — as a state legislator, a Secretary of State, a Governor, and a Senator — Joe Manchin has dedicated himself to serving the people of his beloved West Virginia. During my time as Vice President and now as President, Joe and I have worked together to get things done for hardworking families."

The West Virginia Republican Party was also quick to reply to Manchin's news.

"The highest priority of the West Virginia Republican Party this election cycle is to do its part in delivering a Republican majority to the United States Senate, and in just under one year from now, we will do just that," Chairwoman Elgine McArdle said in a news release.

"The retirement of incumbent Democrat Senator Joe Manchin is an important development in ensuring that outcome, and the West Virginia Republican Party will not take its eye off the ball," the prepared statement read.

West Virginia Republican Party Co-Chairman Tony Hodge said removing Manchin from the Senate was a priority when he and McArdle took the helm of the party.

"In less than a year and a half in office, under the steady, focused leadership of our chairwoman and with the tireless work of our WVGOP supporters, staff, and volunteers, we have accomplished exactly what we said we would."

West Virginia AFL-CIO President Josh Sword issued "deepest gratitude" for Manchin's years of advocating for West Virginians and the state's working families.

"There is still a lot yet to be done," Sword said, "and I know I speak on behalf of so many in the West Virginia labor movement when I say we are looking forward to the months ahead of working with Senator Manchin to continue to grow our state's economy, thanks in no small part to federal investments that will help create thousands of good paying jobs, with great benefits and safe workplaces. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors."

And from here in the coalfields, Beckley Mayor Rob Rappold said he has known Manchin and his family for more than 50 years and described him as someone who "not only talks the talk about working across the aisle, he really tries, and has demonstrated his ability to bring the two parties together."

He added that should Manchin choose to run for president, it would be a "dream come true" for him, personally.

"I think the timing is right," Rappold said. "I think that what we're facing at the national level, with the two expected candidates, is very suspect. It's time for a change ... (Manchin) would have my full support if he were to become a third-party candidate (for president)."

Fayette County's Allison Rae Taylor said Thursday afternoon that the senator's announcement didn't surprise her.

"Personally, I've been reading The Washington Post for 20 years and I don't remember seeing an op-ed from him up until about 2020.

"I just think he has been signaling through his op-eds in The Washington Post over the past few years and his issues that he's had with President Biden that he has his sights on a higher office or a broader objective at a minimum," said Taylor, who is vice chair of the county's Republican Executive Committee.

"He has affiliated himself with a movement (No Labels) that includes both Democrats and Republicans who are more middle-of-the-road and are willing to work together and compromise. I do think he has his sights set on using the gravitas that he has garnered during his time in office, (but) whether he plans to run as a candidate or just encourage or facilitate something for the next election, I don't know," she said.

Taylor also pointed out another clue she picked up that led her to assume that Manchin would not seek reelection.

"There have been people who normally work in his campaign that are now working for Gov. Justice's campaign," she said, "which was another indicator."

Pratt resident Bolts Willis, president of the United Mine Workers of America Local 8843 in Cannelton and an Oak Hill High School teacher, said Thursday he was a little surprised Manchin announced his decision when he did since the senator had indicated he may take a little longer to make up his mind about seeking reelection. Willis, however, said he stands behind Manchin whatever his future includes.

"The UMW likes Joe Manchin, labor likes Joe Manchin, I like Joe Manchin," said Willis, a Democrat. "He's right on a lot of the issues, important issues to the country (mentioning specifically abortion and worker's rights).

"He's been behind the UMW for pensions, widow's rights, health care ..."

Willis said he felt Manchin could have won reelection to the Senate if he decided to run again.

He called Manchin a "middle-of-the-road guy," saying he thinks that's what the United States needs. "He's got the heartbeat of the people."

Pam Garrison, interim chair of the Fayette County Democratic Executive Committee, said she regrets Manchin's plan to call an end to his Senate career, but that it is "a personal decision."

"He has been our senator for quite a while and has done some really good work," Garrison said. "I wish him all the best in his endeavors."

Garrison said she and others appreciate the work Manchin has done for his home state. That includes his efforts in Fayette County in such significant projects as the formation of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in 2020.

"We've got a national park now, and he was part of that," she said. "That is something that is really helping our county."

Julie Kominsky, chair of the Raleigh County Republican Executive Committee, said, "Raleigh County Republicans want to acknowledge and thank Sen. Manchin for his long service to the Mountain State, his accomplishments for our welfare and advancement are many. His timely declaration to not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate allows us to focus our energy and resources on the best conservative candidates that will benefit Raleigh County and the state of West Virginia in the very important 2024 elections."

From the other side of the political aisle, Danielle Stewart, Raleigh County Democratic Party chair, said she would like to thank Manchin for his work for West Virginia, first as a governor and then as a senator.

"We're very proud of the work he's been able to accomplish," Stewart said. "We are saddened to see him retire, but we're excited at looking at the future of what he is going to do as well as other potential candidates that will run for Senate."

Even with the Republican Party holding firm throughout the state, Stewart played the role of eternal optimist, saying she believes there is a possibility that the Democratic Party will retain Manchin's seat in the coming election.

"I think that with Sen. Manchin leaving, there will be lots of very strong Democratic candidates that will step forward to fill that void," she said. "People that will have the best interests of the people of West Virginia at heart."

For now there is one, Zachary Shrewsbury, a native of Ripley. Following Manchin's announcement, he said, "I am now the Democratic candidate for the United States Senate from West Virginia."

Contributing to this story were Samantha Perry of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph and Josephine E. Moore and Cheryl Keenan of The Register-Herald.