Former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin condemned Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on Thursday for his surprise reversal on the upper chamber’s filibuster rule. 

Often described during his time in Congress as one of the upper chamber’s most independent minds, Manchin expressed sweeping concern that Cornyn recently flip-flopped on the long-standing Senate maneuver, which is designed to force a spirit of open debate and compromise. Manchin suggested Cornyn’s decision was due to “extreme election-year politics,” as the senator changed his position after Republican senators faced intense pressure to do so from the White House.