Photo credit: Jocelyn King
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-VA) discussed earmarked federal funding for local projects during a visit to Wheeling on Thursday, April 5.
CHARLESTON — West Virginia’s last elected Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin, has left the party he supported and led his entire political career to become an independent, sparking speculation he may run as an independent for Senate or governor.
Manchin announced in a press release and social media posts on Friday morning that he was switching from Democrat to Independent, citing the political divide in Washington, D.C., between far-right conservative Republicans and far-left progressive Democrats.
“…Since becoming a U.S. Senator in 2010, I have watched as both Democrats and Republicans left West Virginia and our country behind for partisan extremism, endangering our democracy,” Manchin said. “Right now, our politics are fractured, with neither party willing to compromise and find common ground. To stay true to myself and my commitment to putting country above party, I have decided to register as an Independent and continue to fight for a decent majority in America.”
Manchin, a member of a Marion County political family with longstanding ties to the Democratic Party, was first elected to the West Virginia House of Representatives in 1982 and later served as a state senator and secretary of state. In 2004, he was elected West Virginia’s 34th governor. In 2010, he resigned to run in a special election for the U.S. Senate seat held by the late Senator Robert C. Byrd, and was re-elected in 2012 and 2018.
However, for much of 2023, Manchin was reluctant to say whether he would run for a third six-year term as a senator. In November 2023, Manchin announced that he would not seek reelection and would instead choose to retire from the Senate at the end of 2024. Manchin, who had previously hinted at becoming an independent, briefly considered running for the U.S. presidency as a third party through the moderate political group No Labels, but announced earlier this year that he would not run.
“From my first day in office in 1982, I have always been focused on doing what’s best for our state and our country, regardless of party or politics,” Manchin said. “Since I’ve served in public office, I’ve always prided myself on my dedication to common sense, bipartisanship and a desire to bring people together. That’s who I am and that always will be. I’ve never seen America through a partisan lens.
Manchin’s party switch comes just in time for the June 1 deadline for candidates considering running as independents or third parties in the November general election to switch parties. Independent candidates must collect signatures representing at least 1% of the total votes received in the last election for the seat they are seeking. The deadline to submit signatures is Thursday, August 1. Independent candidates must also file a certificate of candidacy by August 1.
There has been speculation that Manchin might run for governor again or run for Senate as an independent. There has also been talk that he is trying to convince Huntington Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Williams to drop out of the race and replace Manchin. Williams has said he has no plans to drop out of the race, and Manchin told the Charleston Gazette-Mail on Wednesday that he supports Williams.
