Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said Friday he has left the Democratic Party to become an independent with no party affiliation.
“Today, our national politics are broken and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground,” Manchin said in a statement. “To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority.”
Despite the change in party, Senate Democrats will maintain their one-seat majority of 51 to 49.
Manchin’s office initially declined to address whether he would still caucus with Democrats as an independent, such as what Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) did when she left the party in 2022. A spokesperson later reversed course, confirming that “nothing will change with caucusing with the Democrats,” a move that allows the Senate Energy Committee chairman to keep his gavel.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) did not respond to a request for comment. It was not clear whether Manchin made him aware of the decision before it was announced publicly.
Manchin, who’s often irked his liberal Democratic colleagues for his more centrist political views, is not seeking reelection this November. He’s served since 2010.
Manchin’s party affiliation switch comes amid speculation about his political future and long-shot third-party runs for other offices. He shot down conjecture on Wednesday that he would mount a last-minute campaign for governor, an office he previously held. And although he’s also previously declined an independent Senate run, his latest move fueled rumors of another bid for statewide office.
Notably, if Manchin did want to seek another office, Saturday is the deadline by which he needed to become an independent to run as one by the Aug. 1 candidate filing deadline.
The West Virginia Democratic Party thanked Manchin for his contributions to the party while appearing to blunt a possible independent run for governor by highlighting his endorsement of the Democratic nominee in the race.
“We’d like to thank Sen. Manchin for expressing his wholehearted support for Huntington Mayor Steve Williams’s campaign for governor against Patrick Morrisey just two days ago,” West Virginia Democratic Party Chairman Mike Pushkin said in a statement. “The senator’s support shows the appeal Steve Williams has across the political spectrum.”
The party switch also came the day after former President Donald Trump was found guilty by a Manhattan jury on 34 felony counts of falsifying documents in his New York hush money trial, but Manchin made no indication the two were related.
“Throughout my days in elected office, I have always been proud of my commitment to common sense, bipartisanship and my desire to bring people together,” Manchin said in the statement. “It’s who I am. It’s who I will always be. I have never seen America through a partisan lens.”
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He continued: “However, since becoming a United States Senator in 2010, I have seen both the Democrat and Republican parties leave West Virginia and our country behind for partisan extremism while jeopardizing our democracy.”
Manchin changed his party affiliation in person at the West Virginia State Capitol.
