Joe Manchin
Bipartisan dealmaking, fiscal restraint, energy production, and putting 'country before party.'
Joe Manchin served as Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010 before winning a U.S. Senate seat in 2010, which he held until January 2025. In a narrowly divided Senate he was frequently a pivotal swing vote and chaired the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. In May 2024 he left the Democratic Party and registered as an independent.
The strongest case
Manchin argues that representing a state that leans heavily against his former party requires an independent, deal-by-deal approach rather than lockstep loyalty. Supporters note he used his leverage to shape major legislation toward what he saw as fiscally and energy-sustainable outcomes, and framed his moves as prioritizing broad consensus over partisan wins.
And against
Critics across the spectrum question the consistency of Manchin's stated principles against his interests, pointing to his family's coal-related business ties while he shaped national energy policy. Others argue his shifting positions during high-stakes negotiations made his final votes hard to predict, giving him outsized leverage without a clear, stable governing standard.
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On the record
On May 31, 2024, Manchin announced he had left the Democratic Party and registered as an independent, while continuing to caucus with Senate Democrats. [source]