Sen. Joe Manchin 'seriously' considering leaving US Democratic Party

By Firdevs Bulut Kartal

TORONTO (AA) – US Sen. Joe Manchin from the state of West Virginia revealed Thursday that he is "seriously" considering leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent politician.

Manchin has consistently emphasized his autonomy from Washington D.C. Democrats throughout his career.

But his recent remarks carry extra weight, particularly in light of his public contemplation of a potential third-party presidential candidacy in 2024.

Manchin said he has "been thinking about that for quite some time" and wants to "make sure that my voice is truly an independent voice," according to his comments on a local news station.

“The brand has become so bad, the D brand and R brand. In West Virginia, the D brand because it’s nationally bad. It’s not the Democrats in West Virginia. It’s the Democrats in Washington, or the Washington policies of the Democrats. You’ve heard me say a million times that I’m not a Washington Democrat,” he said on MetroNews’s Talkline.

Manchin clarified that he has not decided on his party’s membership or electoral strategies.

He is facing a challenging re-election campaign for the Senate next year, should he choose to run. He has also shown interest in the possibility of a third-party presidential campaign.

Manchin's decision to depart the Democratic Party would make him the second senator to make the move recently.

For months, Manchin has been dropping hints that he might emulate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema from the state of Arizona who declared her shift to independent status in December.