What Joe Manchin's constituents think of his bipartisanship

[andym]

Story by Dan Merica, CNN
Updated 9:05 AM ET, Sat June 5, 2021
https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/05/politics/joe-manchin-bipartisanship-farmington-west-virginia/index.html

Farmington, West Virginia (CNN)When Joe Manchin was in the fight of his political life, vying for reelection in a state where being a Democrat had long been out of fashion, the senator's opening message to voters focused on the place he knew best: Farmington, West Virginia.

Manchin argued throughout his last reelection campaign that it was his upbringing in the small Appalachian town set on the banks of Buffalo Creek -- from working at his family's local grocery store to watching how relationships in his hometown transcended political lines -- that helped make him a politician who would listen to even his most ardent detractors and use his power to make sure every bipartisan avenue was exhausted before he picked the best option for the people of his state.

That persona has served Manchin well, to date. He's survived election after election in this increasingly Republican bastion to become the most conservative Democrat in an evenly divided Senate -- a role that allows him to put his stamp on anything his party wants to accomplish, which includes just about everything these days. Manchin has wielded this influence to change the coronavirus relief package, force Democrats to try and work with Republicans on infrastructure and squash any talk of getting rid of Senate rules that would make it easier for the Democrats, currently in the majority, to pass President Joe Biden's agenda. But back home, Manchin is facing a set of opposing forces. Republicans in the state, loyal to former President Donald Trump and consumed with the partisan politics of the moment, have grown annoyed at how Manchin signals a willingness to break with Democrats but often votes with the party in the end. And many Democrats in the state, worn down by years of Republican domination, worry that Manchin's undying focus on bipartisanship is no longer possible when the Republican Party is unwilling to meet in the middle.

This tension has forced the tenets of Manchin's personal and political story to run up against a changing world....
-------
His while career has been built trying to find common ground with Republicans, even when Democrats dominated WV--it's unclear whether he would ever change, even though both Democrats and Republicans are often dissatisfied with his approach.

[Bucky]

1. Fascinating read

The harder I look at this divide in America, the more I despair. I think we're heading toward an irreparable split. I'm sad about what Republican intransigence, what Republican drift toward cult-of-personality politics, is doing to this country. But when you turn against democracy, you turn against America.

I'm usually in favor of compromises in policy and lawmaking. But we can't compromise on whether to protect the voting rights of all Americans, especially when they're being threatened by dog whisper racists. Manchin is giving too much to maintain the peace, just like Neville Chamberlain.

[joetheman]

3. +1 Million!

[mountain grammy]

7. Exactly!

[kentuck]

2. If Manchin loses enough Democratic voters, there are not enough Repubs to re-elect him.

That should be his primary concern.

No matter how much Republican support he might have, it is not enough to win without the Democratic base.

[TwilightZone]

5. He has support of both parties.

A strong majority of all voters in WV support his opposition to removing the filibuster and a big chunk of them say it makes him more likely to vote for him in the next election.

We should stop pretending that all Democrats are the same.

[Elessar Zappa]

6. He almost lost in 2018.

I doubt he’ll win in 2024 no matter what he does. So he should just do the right thing.

[TwilightZone]

4. We don't care about his constituents.

We claim we do but it's all just bullshit.

Another article said that nearly 60% of his constituents support his opposition of filibuster removal and that for a significant chunk of voters, it makes them *more* likely to support him in the next election.

[Xoan]

8. DINO

[andym]

9. Well he does vote for Democratic judges reliably-- at least there is that

OTOH he did vote for Kavanaugh and Gorsuch. And at least he allow Dempcrats t have the majority in the Senate, if he became independent or worse, the GOP would control it.