Joe Manchin Puts Chuck Schumer On Notice: “I’m not a Washington Democrat, people are registering more for independent than any other party affiliation, they are sick and tired of it”

Dem Sen. Joe Manchin put Chuck Schumer on notice saying he is not a Washington Democrat and may leave the Party at some point in the future. Manchin said he had no plans to follow Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and leave now, but he is up for re-election in a deep red state so putting an I or R before his name may be the only way he can keep his job.

Manchin said: “I’ll look at all of these things. I’ve always looked at all those things, but I have no intention of doing anything right now. Whether I do something later, I can’t tell you what the future is going to bring.”

“I’m not a Washington Democrat. I don’t know what else to tell you. And if a Washington independent is — we’ll see what happens there. We’ll have to look. People are registering more for independent than any other party affiliation.

“They are sick and tired of it.

Joe Manchin on whether he’ll become an independent and leave the Dem Party. “I’ll look at all of these things. I’ll look at every circumstance, and I have no intention of doing anything right now. Whether I do something later I can’t tell you what the future is going to bring.” pic.twitter.com/W6GkJQNjKN

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 12, 2022

“And I can tell you that people in the United States are very upset.

“West Virginia is upset.

“They don’t like the bickering that goes on.

“They want unity.

“They want us to work together and that’s what I try to do every day.

“I don’t know how you get more independent than I am,” he said.

Manchin thought about leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent last year.  He even threatened to switch in October last year.

“I said, me being a moderate centrist Democrat if that causes you a problem, let me know and I’d switch to be an independent. 

“But I’d still be caucusing with Democrats,” he said at the time.

Manchin: “I’m not a Washington Democrat. I don’t know what else to tell you. … And if a Washington independent is — we’ll see what happens there. We’ll have to look. People are registering more for independent than any other party affiliation, they are sick and tired of it.”

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 12, 2022