WV-SEN 2024: Manchin out, Justice for All

[Compuzled_One]

He’s gonna try and win as an independent isn’t he? Wouldn’t be surprised if he “endorses Trump” or something to try and do so. No one ever said Manchin wasn’t a good politician, so I’ll give him that.

I kinda feel Manchin hoped that Blankenship would win so he could get back in, and set up the infrastructure to do so. Then Blankenship lost because Manchin didn't realize how hated he was, but the latter didn't want his time and money going to waste, so he went independent and will jump back in soon in a vain attempt to keep his job.

Or maybe he just wanted to be independent in his last few months.

Remember when Amash became a libertarian in 2020 before he retired?

I think Amash planned to run but saw he'd lose.

[Neo-Malthusian Misanthrope]

I see him maybe trying to pull a Lowell Weicker and take back the Governorship as an indy, before finally hanging up his hat. But does he still have enough sway or appeal in WV to pull it off, even if he wanted to?

[Bernie Derangement Syndrome Haver]

Good riddance. Even if his replacement is Justice, I'm just glad Manchin will be gone in January.

This is a terrible way of looking at it. When Democrats struggle to win Senate majorities for the next 20 years, we will look back fondly on the days when we actually held a Senate seat in WEST VIRGINIA. It's a miracle that in this day and age we still hold a Senate seat in the 2nd most Republican state. I will certainly miss this.

[Bernie Derangement Syndrome Haver]

This feels like it has been done out of spite given how close he is to the end of his Senate career. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s sucking up to Trump for a job should the latter be back in the Oval Office next year. Given he’s nearly 77 I really don’t know why he’s not just winding it all down quietly prior to a very affluent retirement. Then again there are so many others we could ask that about…

No shot in Hell he's sucking up to Trump. Listen to his interviews. He does not want Trump back in the Oval Office.

[Compuzled_One]

I have to ask, assuming Manchin goes through with an insane independent run, didn't he already file paperwork in 2022 or something, meaning he can declare at any time? Or does he need to refile if he goes as an independent?

[Dave Hedgehog]

This feels like it has been done out of spite given how close he is to the end of his Senate career. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s sucking up to Trump for a job should the latter be back in the Oval Office next year. Given he’s nearly 77 I really don’t know why he’s not just winding it all down quietly prior to a very affluent retirement. Then again there are so many others we could ask that about…

No shot in Hell he's sucking up to Trump. Listen to his interviews. He does not want Trump back in the Oval Office.

I just feel like it’s too much to be a coincidence, Drumpf getting convicted of a crime then Manchin walking out on the Dems less than 24 hours later. Kind of contributes to the narrative R’s are spinning of “Dems going too far” (as if this is really anything more than a case of Drumpf getting his just desserts; they’d have us believe Biden masterminded the whole process from day one). If he’d left the party a week earlier or even a month later I might have given him the benefit of the doubt.

Also he wouldn’t be the first person to do a complete U-turn on Drumpf; both JD Vance and Bernie Moreno hated him at the beginning and look at them now.