Latest news with #JoeManchin
Washington Post
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Now its Senate Republicans who want to undermine the filibuster
With the possible exception of springtime pollen, there are few things more predictable in Washington than the opportunism with which Democrats and Republicans switch sides on the question of the Senate filibuster. Back when Joe Biden was president and Democrats held the narrowest of Senate majorities, only two of their caucus members — Democrats-turned-independents Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona — stood against their party's effort to end the dilatory tactic on some issues. Filibuster rules create a situation in which most legislation requires 60 votes to pass.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Manchin slams West Virginia move to ban ranked-choice voting
(The Hill) – Former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who served as a centrist Democrat for most of his career before becoming an independent last spring, denounced his state's move to ban ranked-choice voting despite the system never being used there. Manchin wrote in a post on the social media platform X on Tuesday that elections in West Virginia are 'heading in the wrong direction' given the ranked-choice voting ban from March and a move from a state legislator to potentially close primary elections to only party members starting in 2026. 'Lawmakers just banned ranked choice voting—even though we've never used it. At the same time, they're trying to shut out over 300,000 independent voters from participating in primary elections. That's nearly 30% of West Virginia voters being told their voices don't matter,' he said. 'This isn't leadership—it's political gamesmanship.' West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R), whom Manchin defeated in his 2018 Senate election, signed the ban on ranked-choice voting into law in March after the legislation received overwhelming approval in both the state House and state Senate. Ranked choice voting is a system in which voters rank multiple candidates in order of preference. In counting the vote, the candidate with the fewest first-place votes is eliminated and their votes are reallocated according to their supporters' next preference. The process continues until one candidate receives a majority of the vote. The system is used statewide in Alaska and Maine and several municipalities in other states, like California and New York. But moving to ban the system, even if it's not currently being used, has become increasingly popular in conservative-leaning states over the past year, with more than a dozen states banning it as of March, according to Ballotpedia. Opponents of the system have argued that it's confusing for voters to understand. State law currently allows political parties to decide for themselves whether to have closed or open primaries. The state GOP Executive Committee voted last year to make its primaries closed, meaning only Republicans will be able to vote in them, starting in 2026. But West Virginia state Sen. Eric Tarr (R) introduced a bill in February that would prohibit all unaffiliated voters from participating in a major party primary. Manchin said Democrats tried to close their primary when he was West Virginia secretary of state in 2001, but he stopped them because 'it wasn't right then, and it's not right now.' 'Ranked choice voting gives voters more say and rewards candidates who appeal to a majority, not just a base,' he said. 'Banning it while trying to close primaries sends one clear message: some politicians don't want to compete, they just want control.' Manchin has previously stated his support for ranked choice voting. Throughout his career, which also included a five-year stint as governor before resigning to become a senator, Manchin established a reputation as a maverick, being willing to criticize both parties. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
The Hill
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Manchin slams West Virginia move to ban ranked-choice voting
Former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who served as a centrist Democrat for most of his career before becoming an independent last spring, denounced his state's move to ban ranked-choice voting despite the system never being used there. Manchin wrote in a post on the social media platform X on Tuesday that elections in West Virginia are 'heading in the wrong direction' given the ranked-choice voting ban from March and a move from a state legislator to potentially close primary elections to only party members starting in 2026. 'Lawmakers just banned ranked choice voting—even though we've never used it. At the same time, they're trying to shut out over 300,000 independent voters from participating in primary elections. That's nearly 30% of West Virginia voters being told their voices don't matter,' he said. 'This isn't leadership—it's political gamesmanship.' West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R), whom Manchin defeated in his 2018 Senate election, signed the ban on ranked-choice voting into law in March after the legislation received overwhelming approval in both the state House and state Senate. Ranked choice voting is a system in which voters rank multiple candidates in order of preference. In counting the vote, the candidate with the fewest first-place votes is eliminated and their votes are reallocated according to their supporters' next preference. The process continues until one candidate receives a majority of the vote. The system is used statewide in Alaska and Maine and several municipalities in other states, like California and New York. But moving to ban the system, even if it's not currently being used, has become increasingly popular in conservative-leaning states over the past year, with more than a dozen states banning it as of March, according to Ballotpedia. Opponents of the system have argued that it's confusing for voters to understand. State law currently allows political parties to decide for themselves whether to have closed or open primaries. The state GOP Executive Committee voted last year to make its primaries closed, meaning only Republicans will be able to vote in them, starting in 2026. But West Virginia state Sen. Eric Tarr (R) introduced a bill in February that would prohibit all unaffiliated voters from participating in a major party primary. Manchin said Democrats tried to close their primary when he was West Virginia secretary of state in 2001, but he stopped them because 'it wasn't right then, and it's not right now.' 'Ranked choice voting gives voters more say and rewards candidates who appeal to a majority, not just a base,' he said. 'Banning it while trying to close primaries sends one clear message: some politicians don't want to compete, they just want control.' Manchin has previously stated his support for ranked choice voting. Throughout his career, which also included a five-year stint as governor before resigning to become a senator, Manchin established a reputation as a maverick, being willing to criticize both parties.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Sen. Joe Manchin is working on a memoir. 'Dead Center' is scheduled for September
NEW YORK (AP) — Former Sen. Joe Manchin has a memoir coming out in September, what the self-styled maverick from West Virginia calls his 'declaration of independence from the extremes on both sides.' St. Martin's Press announced Tuesday that Manchin's 'Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense' will be released Sept. 16. Manchin, 77, announced last year he wouldn't seek re-election after serving in the Senate since 2010 and becoming the rare Democrat to win in a state which otherwise votes for Republicans by wide margins. Manchin had long branded himself as a moderate beholden to no ideology and would often chastise Democrats or upend legislation when Senate Democrats held a tiny majority during the presidency of fellow party member Joe Biden. Last summer, Manchin left the Democrats altogether and identified as an independent, although he continued to caucus with his former party. In a statement issued through St. Martin's, he said that 'Dead Center' was a 'declaration of independence' and a handbook for governing. 'I believe successful leadership in any arena is about understanding the art and science of collaboration and compromise, civility and respect, negotiations and solutions,' he said. "Leaders should be positive change agents and bring people and organizations together rather than drive them apart.' Manchin's book will include a foreword by longtime friend Nick Saban, the former coach who is to be inducted this year into the College Football Hall of Fame. According to St. Martin's, Manchin will track his rise from the coal fields of Farmington, West Virginia, to the heights of power in the Senate. The publisher is calling his book a 'revealing and entertaining memoir" in which Manchin 'reflects on the pivotal moments, tough decisions, and core values that have shaped him as a person and a public servant.' 'Senator Manchin combines eyebrow-raising, never-before-told stories from inside the Senate and the White House with insights into how government does — or doesn't — work,' the statement reads.
Associated Press
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Former Sen. Joe Manchin is working on a memoir. ‘Dead Center' is scheduled for September
NEW YORK (AP) — Former Sen. Joe Manchin has a memoir coming out in September, what the self-styled maverick from West Virginia calls his 'declaration of independence from the extremes on both sides.' St. Martin's Press announced Tuesday that Manchin's 'Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense' will be released Sept. 16. Manchin, 77, announced last year he wouldn't seek re-election after serving in the Senate since 2010 and becoming the rare Democrat to win in a state which otherwise votes for Republicans by wide margins. Manchin had long branded himself as a moderate beholden to no ideology and would often chastise Democrats or upend legislation when Senate Democrats held a tiny majority during the presidency of fellow party member Joe Biden. Last summer, Manchin left the Democrats altogether and identified as an independent, although he continued to caucus with his former party. In a statement issued through St. Martin's, he said that 'Dead Center' was a 'declaration of independence' and a handbook for governing. 'I believe successful leadership in any arena is about understanding the art and science of collaboration and compromise, civility and respect, negotiations and solutions,' he said. 'Leaders should be positive change agents and bring people and organizations together rather than drive them apart.' Manchin's book will include a foreword by longtime friend Nick Saban, the former coach who is to be inducted this year into the College Football Hall of Fame. According to St. Martin's, Manchin will track his rise from the coal fields of Farmington, West Virginia, to the heights of power in the Senate. The publisher is calling his book a 'revealing and entertaining memoir' in which Manchin 'reflects on the pivotal moments, tough decisions, and core values that have shaped him as a person and a public servant.' 'Senator Manchin combines eyebrow-raising, never-before-told stories from inside the Senate and the White House with insights into how government does — or doesn't — work,' the statement reads.
