Sen. Joe Manchin to skip a big White House event as he considers running against Biden

[iemanja]

When President Joe Biden marks the first anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act next week with a major celebration at the White House, one prominent invited guest is not expected to be in the crowd.

The decision by Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia to skip the White House’s campaign-style affair highlighting the climate and health spending law he helped write — and name — is just the latest sign of an increasingly fraught relationship between Manchin, a conservative Democrat, and the Biden administration.

Manchin is openly flirting with a third-party run for the presidency in 2024, a move that could upend Biden’s prospects of winning re-election. Even if Manchin doesn’t take that controversial step, he is already trying to demonstrate greater independence from the White House ahead of another possible Senate run in his deeply Republican state. And Thursday, he said he is “absolutely” considering changing his party affiliation from Democrat to independent.

“I’ve been thinking about that for quite some time,” he told a West Virginia radio host.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/sen-joe-manchin-to-skip-a-big-white-house-event-as-he-considers-running-against-biden/ar-AA1f8heQ?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=359038e019ec40bfbc3f97750a99b856&ei=30


How much of a spoiler would he be?

[LakeArenal]

1. Not a spoiler. Proceed.

[we can do it]

2. Do you really think any democrat out of WVA would vote for him?

[Aristus]

9. Well, I'm sure every Democrat IN WVa will vote for him.

You know, all eleven of them.

[we can do it]

11. Ha! Exactly

[2naSalit]

20. And that's just...

Only part of the family.

[Raftergirl]

3. 😂

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Off the top of my head I don't think he's got much clout on the outcome

He'll draw more pro-business free-market loonies from the GOP than anything else. I think his independent candidacy would hurt Trump and not diminish Democratic turnout for Biden if at all.

[msfiddlestix]

8. I feel like you're right. We've all been aware of his posturing since Biden's first year in office

I worried and fretted he'd jump the aisle long before now. Frankly, I'm surprised he hasn't. He sure does love the attention and apparently finds threatening Biden and the Democratic Party at every chance he gets is a thing he really enjoys , especially getting on all the cable shows to practice his campaigning slogans..

[allegorical oracle]

21. Agree. He's depended on Repug voters all along because it's W Va. They held their collective

nose despite the D after his name because they trust him.

[EarlG]

5. I think that next year there will be more Republicans looking for an alternative to Trump

than there will be Democrats looking for an alternative to Biden.

On balance I'd prefer it if there weren't any third parties playing spoiler in 2024, but similarly to how Sinema could do more damage to the Republican candidate than to the Democratic candidate in Arizona, it's possible that a No Labels run featuring Joe Manchin would draw in swing-vote Republicans who can't bear to pull the lever for Trump. Especially if Manchin makes a big show of quitting the Democratic Party.

[jls4561]

6. Manchin/Sinema ticket

Yeah, that’d be a winner.

[Beachnutt]

7. Not much big coal money in that bill I don't think..

and big pharma takes a hit.

[brush]

10. Ahhh, the poor bastard is starved for attention as it's been a while since.

he's been the center of Congressional attention.

He misses it. Becoming an Indy like Sinema is iffy as he might not get reelected in W. Va, and if he does he won't have her to form a mini-voting block against his own party's agenda like in the past as she's not
likely to win in AZ.

Publicly worrying out loud about it gives him some attention for several months as republicans come wooing, as will Dems. He loves it.

Oh, what to do, what to do?

[kysrsoze]

12. If anything, he'll going to syphon Republican votes... though we can count on a lost Senate seat

I don't care if he's still technically a Democrat. He's a self-serving prick posing as one. Good riddance. We'll have to pick up another seat elsewhere.

[Meadowoak]

13. Manchin just needs to retire.

[Brainfodder]

14. Please proceed!

His BS being exposed MORE as a candidate should be a HOOT.

I am long ready to be rid of that selfish coal turd in congress/party.

[hlthe2b]

15. He can declare a Martian and WV is not going to reelect him for Senate, nor vote him President

Not the MAGATs, not the Never-Trumpers, Not the Indies, and the few Dems are done with him and his hypocrisy.

[BlueIdaho]

16. Waiting

For Dark Brandon to hand him his balls in 3… 2… 1…

[ZonkerHarris]

17. fuck off joey coal mine

[comradebillyboy]

18. Manchin only has influence as a Democrat or an Independent

who caucuses with Democrats in the US Senate. He might be able to harm Biden running as a No Labels stooge but what's the benefit to him? All of his power and visibility stem from his clout in the Senate Democratic Caucus.

[jcgoldie]

19. I still dont understand who is going to vote for him

In order to be a spoiler you have to steal votes from someone. Democrats won’t vote for Manchin neither will republicans. His constituency will be entirely blue dog democrats in states that are already red like west virginia.