Sen. Joe Manchin — ally of Sen. Mitt Romney — says he may leave Dems, become independent

Moderate Sen. Joe Manchin told a radio host he is thinking about leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent, potentially upsetting the balance of power in the Senate and giving Manchin a better chance at reelection in 2024.

During an appearance Thursday on West Virginia radio show “Talkline,” Manchin told host Hoppy Kercheval he would “think very seriously” about becoming an independent.

“I’ve been thinking about it for quite some time,” he said, adding that he thinks “both sides” have become too extreme.

“The bottom line is — will the middle speak up? Does the middle have a voice? If we can create a movement that people understand … we could make a big, big splash and maybe bring the traditional parties — the Democratic and Republican party, back to what they should be today,” said Manchin.

Last month Manchin spoke at a town hall in New Hampshire for No Labels, a political party courting big-name moderate lawmakers like Manchin to potentially run for president. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. spoke at the same event. The third party has been working to get 2024 ballot access in swing states like Arizona.

Related

• A third party got on the ballot in Arizona for 2024. Could they change the outcome of the election?

• What Manchin and Huntsman said about running for president for a third party

Manchin’s current term ends next year, and several prominent West Virginia Republicans have already said they will challenge him, including Gov. Jim Justice, who polls show would likely beat Manchin in a hypothetical matchup.

When Justice announced he would run in April, reporters asked Utah Sen. Mitt Romney if he would weigh in on the race.

“I won’t in any way campaign against my friend Joe Manchin,” Romney said. “He’s a great friend, good leader.”

Romney’s office clarified to the Deseret News at the time that the senator also said that he will “probably stay out of the race.”

Romney and Manchin have often found themselves working together on bipartisan legislation.

But Romney also raised warning bells last month after Manchin appeared at the No Labels event, saying if Manchin ran for president it could help propel former President Donald Trump back into the White House.

“The No Labels effort would elect Donald Trump,” Romney, a Republican, told reporters last month. “I asked my chief strategist: ‘What would a candidate have to be like in order to draw (voters) from Donald Trump as opposed to drawing from Joe Biden?’ He said it would have to be someone to the right of Donald Trump.”

“And a poll would prove it,” he added. “By the way, we do all this talking. Just run a poll. Run a poll: Biden versus Trump. Then run the same poll: Biden, Trump, Manchin — and see who is affected. I know the answer.”

Manchin has not said whether he will run for Senate or the presidency in 2024. He has been a pivotal swing vote on legislation and judicial nominees important to Democratic leadership in the upper chamber, but has also frustrated their goals on issues like filibuster reform.

But Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has to be careful with Manchin given the narrow margin in the Senate. Democrats currently control 48 seats, with three Democratic-leaning independents, and 49 Republicans.

The nearly equal split gives swing votes like Manchin — and Romney — a lot of sway.

In an interview with the Deseret News in May, Romney noted that several of his close allies in the Senate — including Manchin — face tough reelection bids in 2024, which would make it harder to work on bipartisan legislation if Romney decides to run again.

“This group of roughly 10 of us, there are a number that are in significant races — like Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., Joe Manchin, Jon Tester, D-Mont. They’ve been people I’ve been collaborating with,” he said. “I want to get a sense of how they’re doing, but from my standpoint, it’s like, what can I get done as a senator? And if I feel there are things I can get done that are important to get done, that’s going to lead me to want to (run again). If I feel like I can’t get a lot more done, why then I wouldn’t, if you will, take the personal burden of being there — let someone else have a chance.”