Joe Manchin was closer to running for president than you might think the Democrat-turned-Independent publicly entertained the idea of it — and behind the scenes He talked to Chris Christie and Mitt Romney about it He liked the idea of drawing attention to his brand of political moderation The ultimate dealbreaker wasn’t the immense odds against him “If we had a pathway forward to get on 50 ballots I’d have been a go,” the retiring senator told Semafor during a reflective interview this week as his aides began packing his office Another factor weighing on him: “No matter what” effect he had on the 2024 election history would have dubbed him a “spoiler” who had “no chance of winning,” he said Though he never claimed that role in the presidential race Manchin’s certainly comfortable with playing spoiler to the hilt in the Senate as his days in office grow shorter He had no regrets about blocking President Joe Biden’s nominee labor board nominee from another term; he does have second thoughts about backing Biden’s pandemic aid bill in 2021 told Semafor that Manchin’s vote against a National Labor Relations Board nominee this week was “pathetic” and against workers’ interests Yet as much as some of the Democratic caucus looks back in frustration at their repeated clashes with him over the years Manchin’s exit from the Capitol carries an element of fatalism for his former party No one else could have held his seat in a deep-red state for 14 years and his political longevity in West Virginia is one of the leading reasons that Democrats got anything done at all for the first two years of Biden’s term “Joe Manchin is going to be remembered as somebody who has been difficult to work with a close friend who tried unsuccessfully to persuade Manchin to change the legislative filibuster But Joe was always willing to listen and talk and try to find common ground.” He doesn’t affiliate with the Democratic Party anymore but Manchin says he cares about its future as much as he does the Republican Party’s And despite all the backlash he’s faced for trying to pare back Democrats’ progressive instincts he could have caused a lot more trouble for them When Manchin held up Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan in 2021 for hours negotiating over unemployment benefits Then the president went completely insane on me,” Manchin said recalling that he urged Biden and Democrats to “at least draw some things back” in the bill so Americans could “get back to work quicker.” Democrats eventually tapered off some of the pandemic relief bill’s benefits he said “I should have voted against it” based on its size was to show deference to the then-recently elected Biden Manchin later got closer than most of Washington knew to squashing Democrats’ second big party-line bill under Biden He said he had told Democrats he wouldn’t participate in another unilateral spending measure before they passed the trillion-dollar Build Back Better Act in December 2021; after he sank that he was perfectly comfortable doing nothing is the reason he resuscitated talks on a party-line bill that became the energy-focused Inflation Reduction Act Manchin had chafed for a long time at the Democratic brand — he didn’t support then-President Barack Obama in 2012 and nearly revoked his endorsement of Hillary Clinton in 2016 His interest in a third-party run was driven by his desire for a bigger stage to talk about “common sense,” a principle he sees Democrats as having lost touch with wanted no part of an independent bid for president I thought it was ill-fated from the start,” Romney recalled to Semafor Everyone who’s worked with Manchin has stories about him He’s got a gift for shaping the news cycle and making the most of hot-button issues but at times he gets too much attention and sours on the spotlight One day he might pour you a shot of moonshine in his office and on another he might tell you bluntly what he thought of your reporting His name is now synonymous with any single member of Congress who’s willing to hold up an entire party’s agenda For a few months in the House of Representatives next year any Republican could become a Manchin given the party’s 217-215 projected majority The man himself is doubtful that anyone in either party is willing to take that kind of pressure Manchin laid out a clear roadmap for Democrats who might want to change their party’s way of communicating after losing again to Donald Trump And his advice isn’t as anti-progressive as some of his critics might assume Manchin argues that politicians should not get involved in personal lives — but Democrats are too didactic about what he calls “mainstreaming” of cultural and social issues Just don’t make me feel like I should be agreeing [with you] on everything,” Manchin said He bluntly said Democrats don’t have a shot at retaking the Senate “on the course they’re on right now,” with the caveat that the next election will be a referendum on Trump It’s easy to write off his comments as coming from an outlier but his old party is looking to red- and swing-state standard-bearers who have overperformed its presidential picks Manchin named two of them as Democratic bright spots: Govs Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania Yet he sees Democrats’ problems ranging beyond candidate quality They’re “more concerned about those who should be back into the system and should be participating in society” than about “the people that are paying the freight,” Manchin said “That’s how the Republicans were able to take over Sign up for Semafor .css-w8sqnb{text-transform:capitalize;}principals CHARLESTON — The past year saw several major stories in the world of West Virginia state government including the end of a major Democratic political dynasty with the retirement of U.S while Republicans secured all major statewide elected offices After more than 42 years in West Virginia politics Joe Manchin is ending his public service at the end of the month took to the Senate floor earlier this month to give his final speech looking back at his nearly 15 years in the seat once held by the late U.S “Throughout my life as a public servant I have seen the power of good people coming together to solve tough problems,” Manchin said I want you to know that my belief in the potential of this institution and each and every one of you that represent it remains as strong as ever I believe in you probably more than you believe in yourself at times.” won a special election in 2010 to succeed Byrd following his death Manchin won a full six-year term to the U.S Manchin announced he would not run for a third term He briefly toyed with a third party candidacy for U.S president on a unity ticket with a Republican at the beginning of 2024 but he changed his mind when ballot access became an issue Coming from a storied Marion County political family that included the late Secretary of State and State Treasurer A Joe Manchin played football at West Virginia University and went into business first in his family’s carpet store and later in the coal industry Manchin was first elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1982 and was elected to the state Senate in 1986 After losing the Democratic primary for governor in 1996 Manchin won election in 2000 as Secretary of State Manchin finally won election as governor in 2004 and was reelected for a second term in 2008 After spending years touting himself as a West Virginia Democrat Manchin switched his voter registration to unaffiliated in May with rumors of a possible run for governor Manchin will spend his retirement working with his daughter a non-profit focused on recruiting political moderates for higher office Manchin’s switch from Democrat to unaffiliated earlier this year meant the first time the Democratic Party did not have an elected member in a statewide office in nearly 100 years Manchin was succeeded by Democrat-turned-Republican Gov who wraps up his second and final term as governor at the beginning of January who switched to the Republican Party after winning election as a Democrat in 2016 won the May Republican primary in November general election for U.S Justice has acknowledged he has not been a typical governor Justice said he wouldn’t be a typical U.S I can’t do this the way that it’s been done in D.C.,” Justice said and really and truly my way has surely proven to be really the great people of the State of West Virginia believed in me Justice will be succeeded next month by current three-term Attorney General Patrick Morrisey who won a contentious Republican primary for governor in May and a landslide general election in November Morrisey was first elected as attorney general in 2012 defeating longtime Democratic Attorney General Darrell McGraw who died earlier this month Morrisey announced his transition plans in November a week after his election as governor focusing on a review of state government operations and solicitation of ideas from the general public “I want to start out by thanking the people of West Virginia for providing me with a resounding victory and a mandate to govern,” Morrisey said “There’s so much good happening in our state and I’m looking forward to building on past success.” Morrisey will be succeeded as attorney general by outgoing two-term State Auditor J.B who will be succeeded as state auditor by state Sen One-term State Treasurer Riley Moore won election in November to the 2nd Congressional District and will be succeeded by Department of Revenue Secretary Larry Pack Economic Development Authority Executive Director Kris Warner Only Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt is remaining in his seat for a third and final term Republican not only maintained their supermajority status but also picked up seats The 100-member House of Delegates went from 89 Republicans to 91 Republicans shrinking the Democratic House caucus from 11 to nine members In the 34-member state Senate where half of the body is up for election every two years Republicans increased their supermajority from 31 to 32 with the Democratic Senate caucus dropping from three seats to two the Republican Party has 498,230 registered voters representing 41.2% of West Virginia’s total number of registered voters The Democratic Party has 354,462 registered voters Republicans led in voter registration in 47 out of 55 counties The May Republican primary saw the defeat of Senate President Craig Blair opening up a hole in the leadership of the upper body of the Legislature Blair was elected to the 15th Senatorial District in 2012 after spending eight years in the House of Delegates representing Berkeley County After serving as chair of the Senate Government Organization Committee and the Senate Finance Committee Blair became Senate President in 2021 after former senator president Mitch Carmichael lost his GOP primary in June 2020 “I am blessed by the fact that I got to preside as Senate president and lieutenant governor over West Virginia’s greatest time of prosperity,” Blair said earlier this month “It’s been a privilege to be able to come in here every morning.” The Republican Senate caucus gathered earlier this month to vote for its nominee for senate president which will be voted on by the entire Senate on Wednesday The top three candidates were Senate Majority Leader Tom Takubo Industry and Mining Committee Chairman Randy Smith and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Eric Tarr the caucus chose Smith to be its senate president nominee He said he did not promise his fellow GOP senators anything to win over caucus votes He simply promised to lead by listening to his fellow senators “I was elected by my peers…I think it’s because I don’t pretend to be someone that I’m not,” Smith said following the vote on Dec “I’m a very humble person…I mean what I say You know where I stand on everything because I believe honesty is the best policy.” a retired coal miner who spent much of the final years of his career in mine safety Smith was two-term member of the House of Delegates first elected in 2012 where he served as an assistant House majority whip after Republicans took the majority in the House in 2015 Smith announced that Senate Economic Development Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Martin will become the next Senate Majority Leader Tarr said he would not continue to be chair of the Senate Finance Committee And former Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Trump resigned as he prepares to take his seat on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals CHARLESTON – A new lawsuit filed against the state by the former superintendent of the West Virginia State Police .. Copyright © 2025 Elkins Inter-Mountain Company | https://www.theintermountain.com | 520 Railroad Ave. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article Manchin grew up in Farmington, West Virginia, where his father owned a furniture store. He attended West Virginia University on a football scholarship until being injured but went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in business (1970) During that time he married (1967) Gayle Conelly working at his family’s store and then managing a carpet store before joining a coal brokerage Manchin took office as senator later that year requiring a simple majority for passage.) Manchin was widely lambasted by fellow Democrats and was accused of being a tool of the energy industry such as a pledge to auction off more public lands and waters for oil drilling German police said Monday they were investigating recent drone sightings over two military facilities at a time when Russia's invasion of Ukraine has put the country on alert for espionage Police in the southern state of Bavaria said they were looking into several incidents in which drones have flown over military installations in Manching and Neuburg an der Donau On Sunday police spotted up to 10 unmanned aerial vehicles flying in a secured military zone in Manching which hosts a military aerodrome and is where the Eurofighter jet is developed by Airbus Eyewitnesses also saw several drones at the same site on Dec as well as in the early hours of Christmas Day three drones were spotted over in Neuburg an der Donau The two sites lie around 20 kilometers (12 miles) apart just south of the city of Ingolstadt Police said they undertook “extensive investigations” into the incidents “as it cannot be ruled out that military installations and defense companies are being spied on in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.” police have not yet been able to determine who was piloting the drones Police appealed to the public to forward any relevant information including sightings of any “suspicious people or vehicles” near the two sites The incidents are being investigated for possible breaches of legislation prohibiting “taking images which threaten security.” In May 2024 a Eurofighter jet was damaged after colliding with a drone while landing at the site in Manching In recent months several drones have also been spotted at an industrial zone near the North Sea and near the U.S Germany has been unsettled in recent years by a number of high-profile cases of alleged spying for foreign powers A Chinese woman was arrested in October in Germany and accused of spying on defense industry installations Police also launched a probe in December against a Chinese man who was reported to have taken photographs at a naval base on Germany's Baltic Sea coast Late last year a series of mysterious drone sightings in the U.S state of New Jersey sparked worldwide curiosity leading authorities there to announce drone flight restrictions insisted there was no “national security or public safety risk” linked to the sightings and rejected any suggestion of foreign involvement Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help please support us monthly starting from just $2 and every contribution makes a significant impact independent journalism in the face of repression Joe Manchin has landed his K Street gig, with a Wall Street gig on the side. The 77-year old retired senator, a former Democrat turned independent, will join lobbying and investment firm Bondi Partners as a senior advisor The news comes on the back of the announcement that Manchin had been named an advisor to investment giant Apollo and that he would join the board of its insurance arm founded by former Australian Ambassador Joe Hockey has also brought on several former Trump administration officials in recent years Its announcement of Manchin touts its “growing” U.S team: its staff already included former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney former principal deputy chief of staff Emma Doyle Bondi Partners has offices in Sydney and Washington D.C and advises clients seeking to expand into the U.S In addition to lobbying and policy analysis the firm’s services include reputation management and arranging access to capital from sources ranging from private equity firms to global banks “Senator Manchin’s extensive knowledge of energy markets and economic policy will be invaluable to our clients and partners,” its announcement said.  The firm has a lobbying arm, Pacific Partners, which touts its senior advisor Doyle’s nickname as “the Trump whisperer,” due to her insight into the president’s management style focused on the defense and cyber industries a joint initiative with Australia-based Ellerston Capital Bondi Partners is not a large Capitol Hill lobbying shop but its top federal lobbying client represents many of the largest companies in the world The two centrist senators handed Trump control of the National Labor Relations Board dealing a blow to labor unions and workers Montana Democratic Senator Jon Tester is benefitting from outside spending by the American Bankers Association S&M voted to hand the NLRB over to union-busting Republicans Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/Sipa USA via AP Images You might have thought we were done with the dynamic duo of Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and Joe Manchin (I-WV), whose senatorial careers end later this month. After all, as The Wall Street Journal reported Sinema had “skipped every vote since November 21,” including those on squeaker-close judicial confirmations (On what basis Sinema draws her salary has long been a mystery.) As for Manchin when the Senate voted yesterday on the confirmation of President Biden’s nomination of National Labor Relations Board chair Lauren McFerran to another term he was nowhere to be found until the last minute which Vice President Harris could have broken in McFerran’s favor Only then did Manchin rouse himself to race to the floor and vote no More from Harold Meyerson Based on reporting, it seems that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had expected Manchin to be absent, prepping VP Harris to get over to the Senate to break the tie. But Manchin, who was at a speaking engagement, rushed over first “The only thing they could do is catch me when I’m not there,” he told Semafor McFerran was one of the three Democratic appointees on the five-member board Had she been confirmed for another five-year term the Democrats would have preserved their board majority until 2026 whom Donald Trump would then replace with a Republican the Board has sought to restore the National Labor Relations Act to something like what its 1935 authors intended it to be They increased the previously negligible penalties employers had to pay when they illegally fired workers engaged in organizing campaigns required those employers to enter into bargaining if they were found to repeatedly violate the law when a majority of their workers had signed union affiliation cards and recently banned “captive audience” meetings in which employers compel their employees to attend anti-union propaganda meetings only employers can no longer threaten their workers with penalties or firing to compel their attendance.) S&M have enabled Trump to promptly appoint her replacement and put the Board under his control the Board issued a host of rulings that essentially allowed management to run roughshod over their workers if they sought to join or form a union and there’s no reason to think that Trump’s second-term Board would do anything different Manchin’s defenders customarily say that he’s just expressing the views of ordinary Americans which are well to the right of the Democrats on cultural issues Centrist commentators of the Ruy Teixeira strain also have argued that the Democrats have moved too far left on some economic issues But while some of those commentators have questioned the size of the Biden stimulus and some antitrust policies I can’t think of any who have objected to the Biden NLRB’s efforts to enable workers to freely join unions S&M weren’t voting in accord with public opinion Their vote comes at a moment when unions’ approval rating is higher than it’s been in almost 70 years when at least 4 out of 5 Americans under 30 approve of unions and when polls also show that working-class Republicans approve of unions by substantial majorities the very voters that the Democrats need to reclaim are decidedly pro-union rejecting not just current Democratic positions Sinema’s vote evokes memories of her vote that killed the bill to raise the $7.25 federal minimum wage which she accompanied with a thumbs-down gesture and a little wiggle Manchin’s vote called to mind his vote that killed the extension of the Child Tax Credit that had reduced the rate of child poverty in America by between 30 and 40 percent (Reports that The Friends of Child Poverty plan to give Manchin a lifetime achievement award are probably unfounded.) Of course he could always argue that there’s no poverty in West Virginia Those who argue that the Democrats need to become more of a “big tent” party are usually constrained by their belief that Democrats should at least agree on the notion that workers deserve some agency Such constraints have never impeded S&M Their vision of a suitable Democratic Party has been one in which the party reached out to the working class with perspectives and policies that completely fucked it over Harold Meyerson is editor at large of The American Prospect About the Prospect | Contact Info Careers |FAQ Newsletters Browse Archive / Back Issues Manage A Print Subscription Manage A Recurring Donation Privacy Policy DONATE TO THE PROSPECT LAST 12 HOURS: click here for $1 yearlong digital subscriptions, $10 print. Yesterday Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema voted to block the reappointment of Democrat Lauren McFerran to the National Labor Relations Board This means that when Donald Trump takes office he can immediately establish a GOP majority on the board Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema just blocked the reappointment of Democrat Lauren McFerran to the NLRB (Bonnie Cash / Patrick Semansky / AFP via Getty Images) To celebrate International Workers’ Day, we’re offering subscriptions starting at $1 until 11:59 p.m. ET tonight. Follow this link The NLRB membership currently consists of three Democrats With the blocking of McFerran’s reappointment This means that when president-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20 he will be able to immediately fill two vacancies with Republican appointees bringing the NLRB’s composition to three Republicans and two Democrats Trump will also immediately be able to replace General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo with a Republican appointee This failed vote will have a significantly negative effect on the development of NLRB law and the rights of workers and unions they generally use that control to develop Board law in a way that is favorable to employers and unfavorable to employees This is done by establishing new precedent or reversing old precedent in a case-by-case fashion the Trump Board will have four years of cases to work with rather than than two-and-a-half years of cases to work with it’s possible that Trump would have fired one or more Democratic NLRB members on January 20 in order to create the vacancies needed to appoint a Republican majority Firing NLRB members without cause is prohibited by the National Labor Relations Act but one of the conservative legal theories of the moment is that this sort of prohibition is unconstitutional The Trump administration also seems eager to push the legal envelope in this respect this particular constitutional clash won’t even be necessary Matt Bruenig is the founder of People’s Policy Project Already on our list? Get our print magazine for just $20 a year. Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema voted to block the reappointment of Lauren McFerran to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) yesterday This would have ensured that Democrats make up the majority of NLRB members until August 27 A journal of theory and strategy published by Jacobin Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Andrew Stanton is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in Maine. His role is reporting on U.S. politics and social issues. Andrew joined Newsweek in 2021 from The Boston Globe. He is a graduate of Emerson College. You can get in touch with Andrew by emailing a.stanton@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema delivered Democrats blocked Lauren McFerran's renomination to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Wednesday delivering one last blow to Democrats before leaving office at the end of the year Had the two senators voted for cloture on her renomination Democrats could have held a majority on the board through 2026 The board enforces the National Labor Relations Act protecting employees' rights to organize and mediating disputes between labor and employers Manchin explained why he voted against McFerran's renomination in a statement the NLRB passed and sought to implement a joint employer rule that would have imposed unnecessary regulations jeopardizing thousands of small businesses their employees and the communities they serve," he told Newsweek Senate to empower small businesses to do what they do best and that's why I voted against her nomination." Newsweek also reached out via email to Sinema's office for comment Their vote quickly sparked anger from Democrats Democratic activist Chris D. Jackson wrote to X (formerly Twitter) "Their votes effectively hand Donald Trump the keys to the board the moment he takes office again This is a betrayal of working families—and a gift to corporate interests which is par for the course for these two." Manchin and Sinema sparking Democratic ire is a common refrain from the past few years when they frequently created headaches for President Joe Biden and other Democrats as they held razor-thin majorities in Congress's upper chamber Both retired this year rather than face tough races as independents Many Democrats took issue with their staunch opposition to lifting the filibuster to push through some legislative priorities, such as the John Lewis Voting Rights Act which would have restored and strengthened the Voting Rights Act of 1965 After it failed to pass the Senate, some Democrats blamed Manchin and Sinema for not supporting efforts to lift the filibuster on the bill, which requires 60 votes to pass without Republican support has defended the filibuster as "an important guardrail and an institution in our country" and that ending it for short-term legislative victories would be "overreaching." They also caught heat from Democrats during negotiations for Biden's infrastructure bill which ultimately became the Inflation Reduction Act The original, more sweeping version of the bill known as Build Back Better died after Manchin said he would not vote for it amid concerns about inflation and the national debt They generally voted in favor of most of Biden's nominees delivering key victories for Democrats despite divisions who Biden nominated to lead the Labor Department's Wage and Hour Division CNN reported that Sinema's spokesperson cited her "concerns with his ability to faithfully execute and uphold the law," while Manchin said his "previous statements are problematic for many West Virginia employees and business owners." Defenders of Sinema and Manchin note that they do not represent solidly Democratic seats and adapting a more liberal voting record may anger some more moderate and conservative constituents back home Trump received 70 percent of the vote in West Virginia but Trump still carried it by over 5 percentage points Sinema will be replaced by Ruben Gallego a Democratic congressman poised to run against her before she announced she wouldn't run for a second term Both Sinema and Manchin won their 2018 elections as Democrats but became independents in recent years amid intraparty squabbles ET: This story was updated with comments from Senator Joe Manchin Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that's factual and fair Hold us accountable and submit your rating of this article on the meter. Newsletters in your inbox See all Gabe Whisnant is a Breaking News Editor at Newsweek based in North Carolina he directed daily publications in North and South Carolina Gabe led award-winning coverage of Charleston church shooter Dylan Roof's capture in 2015 along with coverage of the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina-Wilmington You can get in touch with Gabe by emailing g.whisnant@newsweek.com Independent West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, a former Democrat, told CNN's Manu Raju in an interview that aired Sunday morning that the Democratic Party's brand is "toxic." Newsweek has emailed Manchin's office and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Sunday morning for comment First elected to the Senate in 2010 Manchin won his 2012 election as a Democrat but became an independent in May amid intraparty squabbles Defenders of Manchin note that he does not represent a solidly Democratic seat and adapting a more liberal voting record may have angered some more moderate and conservative constituents back home President-elect Donald Trump received 70 percent of the vote in West Virginia in this year's election In September, Manchin said he wouldn't back Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris for president after she vowed to gut the Senate's filibuster rule to pass a bill codifying abortion rights "That ain't going to happen," he said at the time "I think that basically can destroy our country and my country is more important to me than any one person or any one person's ideology....I think it's the most horrible thing." he dodged a question about his November vote but said he likes Trump and gets "along fine" with him Raju asked Manchin on Sunday what caused his divorce from the Democratic Party Manchin portrayed progressives—a minority faction within the party that he claims wields disproportionate influence—as being out of touch with the majority of Americans He said those "extremes" among Democrats led to what he believes is a "toxic" party brand The former West Virginia governor-turned-senator explained that he was a lifelong Democrat because the party once prioritized issues like "good jobs and good pay." Now he says that progressive Democrats are now overly concerned with social issues while taking "no responsibility at all" for the federal budget during the election "The 'D-brand' has been so maligned from the standpoint of and as a as someone in the Senate...I'm going to help every human being pursue the happiness in their life I don't care who they love...And I'm going to make sure you have that opportunity and right to live your life," Manchin said if it might be on the extremes or in the minority of few make me believe that's the norm or make me and my family believe Manchin to Raju on the prospects of a thriving American third party: "The centrist-moderate vote decides who's going to be the president of the United States. And when they get here, they don't govern that way. Neither side does. They go to their respective corners. So, if the center had a voice and had a party that could make both of these—the Democrat, Republican Party—come back West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, a Republican The flipped seat helped give the GOP control of the Senate chamber RIA Quarterly Period: Q4 2024 4 Reasons To Sell Simplified Issue Disability Income Insurance (SIDI) Simplified Issue Disability Income Insurance (SIDI): A Smarter Way to Sell and Protect registered investment advisors and wealth managers with comprehensive coverage of the products services and information they need to guide their clients in making critical wealth By Chris Stirewalt The Dispatch it would have given Democrats a majority on the powerful panel for at least the first two years of President-elect Donald Trump’s term Trump will get two picks on the five-member panel and put Republicans back in control after four years of Democratic majority The blue team was not happy Sen. Bernie Sanders called Manchin and Sinema’s move “pathetic,” and Sen. Elizabeth Warren declared “Millions of working people across the country will pay the price for their actions.” It might be better argued that it worked with Sinema who left her party and then retired ahead of a looming primary fight with Sen.-elect Ruben Gallego The intraparty fight could have cost Democrats yet another Senate seat but the progressives were doubly lucky in Arizona Not only are there enough left-wing primary voters in the competitive state to make a moderate Democrat uncomfortable in a primary but Republicans fumbled their chance to win the seat by nominating failed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake for a race that almost any mainstream GOP candidate would have surely won Thus closes the four-year story of apostate Senate Democrats in our age of narrow majorities Sinema and Manchin will leave their former conference more ideologically narrow and now in minority status.  So what does that portend for the incoming Republican majority We can already see a similar trend playing out as supporters of President-elect Donald Trump are setting traps for the would-be moderates in the Manchin/Sinema mold Sen. Lisa Murkowski told an audience this week that with the all-out blitz to get uniform support for even the most controversial of Trump’s nominees “We’re getting a little bit of a preview now of what it’s going to mean to be allegiant to party and I don’t think that that’s going to help us as a Republican Party.” She was talking about the primary threats made against Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst for expressing even modest reservations about the selection of Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming seconded Murkowsi: “This early Certainly it did for Democrats who tried to enforce similar strictures on their moderate members. And with voters decidedly uncertain about the team Trump is building now seems like a bad time to start calling moderates to the carpet Two years is a long time to keep a conference together Holy croakano! We welcome your feedback, so please email us with your tips, corrections, reactions, amplifications, etc. at [email protected] If you’d like to be considered for publication please include your real name and hometown If you don’t want your comments to be made public [Financial Times analysis of General Social Survey] Bitter Southerner: “Willie Nelson — whose nicknames include the Redheaded Stranger and the Hillbilly Dalai Lama — straps on his old guitar and sits on a stool for the last set of the day but I can tell without a doubt that he’s flat-out happy to be here tonight … His acceptance and love for all and his desire to share his music feels healing on this night celebrating America’s 248th year of independence Did they come to see the Nashville songwriter … Whatever you want to telegraph onto Willie He is that person,’ [says author Joe Nick Patoski] Willie stands and waves and smiles to the crowd before he says I’m happy to know that in this America of 2024 there is still love ACTIVIST GROUPS DELUDED DEMS ON IMMIGRATION POLITICS The Atlantic: “For more than a decade Democrats have struck an implicit electoral bargain: Even if liberal immigration stances alienated some working-class white voters those policies were essential to holding together the party’s multiracial coalition That bargain now appears to have been based on a false understanding of the motivations of Latino voters How did that misreading become so entrenched in the first place Part of the story is the rise of progressive immigration-advocacy nonprofits within the Democratic coalition … These groups convinced party leaders that shifting to the left on immigration would win Latino support … The Democratic Party’s embrace of these groups was based on a mistake that in hindsight appears simple: conflating the views of the highly educated progressive Latinos who run and staff these organizations and who care passionately about immigration-policy reform … Avoiding that mistake might very well have made the difference in 2016 and 2024.”  Trump won the “working class”—but what does that really mean? Vox: “The problem with having such a vague—or in some cases broad—definition of ‘working class’ is that it becomes politically meaningless to talk about the working-class vote … A common image that politicians conjure up when talking about the working class is that of a unionized manufacturing worker … But that image of the working class no longer captures what many people are referring to union jobs don’t make up that large of a share of the overall labor market income might seem like the easiest way to understand class divides … But someone’s current income or wealth doesn’t necessarily determine their class That leads to another way we define working class: whether or not someone has a college degree understanding a person’s class requires also taking into account how they feel about their place in society.”  The polls nailed 2024’s important stories: New York Times: “When judged against the final results the polls missed by a more or less average margin they systematically underestimated support for Donald J But by a less conventional measure — value more than accuracy — the polls excelled … Big Trump gains among young and nonwhite voters and a huge decline in racial polarization … A Trump advantage among low-turnout voters one so great that it merited disregarding Democratic strength in special elections and off-year general elections … A reduced gap between the popular vote and the Electoral College the polls said a Biden-Trump rematch would be nothing like the 2020 election … It’s hard to think of a cycle when so many polls Musk hit nearly $250 million in Trump donations: Wall Street Journal: “Elon Musk poured roughly a quarter of a billion dollars into two pro-Trump political groups during the recent election cycle … The billionaire gave a total of $238.5 million in cash and in-kind contributions during the cycle to America PAC … That total included $75 million in the last two weeks of October alone in filings that became public late Thursday show the extent to which Musk was a major financial force driving Trump’s successful campaign Musk has been a steady presence alongside the president-elect at Mar-a-Lago offering input on nominations and the formation of the cabinet … Musk’s personal wealth is on track to jump by more than $100 billion since the election.” Ohio, Florida Senate appointments test Trump: Washington Post: “The big question is whether a pair of governors who have had their differences with Trump to varying degrees — Florida’s Ron DeSantis and Ohio’s Mike DeWine — will choose picks that enable Trump or maybe provide some more potential checks on him … DeWine has provided few hints about his plans except that he wants someone who can seek and win the seat in 2026 If recently defeated Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) runs … The big question for me is whether he goes for [Matt Dolan] who could be the biggest Trump skeptic of the bunch … DeSantis has more of a political future to mind than DeWine … Trump could cut a deal with DeSantis that could not only grease the skids for a Trump-y Senate pick but possibly even an actual Trump: Lara Trump.” Matt Gaetz lands prime-time talk show on pro-Trump OAN—CBS News Andy Kim, Adam Schiff sworn into the Senate—Politico Former candidate Sue Altman takes top spot in Kim’s office—New Jersey Globe Georgia insurance commissioner plots 2026 Senate bid if Kemp bows out—Atlanta Journal-Constitution “What’s a lunch break? Lunch is for wimps. … I’m not a sandwich person. I don’t think sandwiches are a real food.”—U.K. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch expresses her distaste for sandwiches—and lunch in general—in an interview with The Spectator.  “Here’s a question for you: In 2016 everyone talked about evangelicals and how they were such an important factor in the election and really delivered for Trump No one talked about that for this election cycle Have things changed?”—Justus Adamson, Durham First, there’s no question that Donald Trump had a smashing success with evangelical Christians, certainly with white ones. According to the Associated Press’ VoteCast he won 79 percent of their votes this year and 57 percent of Latino evangelicals Trump got just 18 percent of black evangelicals but that’s no surprise given the strong and enduring opposition to Trump in the black community.  Trump’s evangelical numbers are actually down a tick from 2020, but still well ahead of his 2016 performance.  But that depends on how you mean the word “evangelical.” VoteCast uses that word interchangeably with the term “born again,” which One might consider herself or himself to be “born again” “of water and the Spirit” as Jesus instructs Nicodemus but still not consider themself an “evangelical.” pollsters went looking for a way to track the Americans who were part of the great awakening that was rippling through the American church These voters tended to be more conservative and more spiritually engaged than the mainline Protestants of the earlier 20th century and demographers and politicos wanted to track it was that the subjects were changed by the observation I’ve written about this several times, but I’ll share from a 2021 piece I wrote on the subject: “… being an Evangelical is totally subjective the meaning is clear: Are they a member of the Roman Catholic Church The same goes for other demographic variables like income The terms are clear and connected to having or doing something particular.  Being an Evangelical is an attitude the continuing decline in church attendance among self-professed Evangelicals and the growth of what [David French] aptly describes as ‘angry Christian nationalism’ all point to the same conclusion: the term Evangelical has lost its salience as a term to describe religious practice the term has ceased to mean what [Billy Graham] & Co it’s just another way to say ‘politically conservative,’ a grouping we already use.   wondered whether Evangelicalism could survive its deepening ties to right-wing politics While certainly the movement and its objective to win converts will live on the term has lost its savor as a measure of religious sentiment Those of us looking to track America’s cultural life and forecast elections need to get busy figuring out what can replace it.” I’m sorry to say that we haven’t found a suitable replacement but it is a very good start to mostly ignoring a statistic that doesn’t tell us very much and is corrosive to the group we intend to study You should email us! Write to [email protected] with your tips Please include your real name—at least first and last—and hometown Make sure to let us know in the email if you want to keep your submission private and I will look for your emails and then share the most interesting ones and my responses here Brian Fitzpatrick speaks to reporters outside of the Capitol Building on September 29 The stakes are high today in one of only two weekly chances in a holiday-shortened December contest The winner of last week’s and this week’s contests will vie for the last monthly award of 2024 and the final chance for our annual ham prize It’s not too late! Send your funniest newspaper-style caption for the photo at the top of this newsletter to [email protected] — funny if you please — along with your name and hometown and you could be in the running for the swine divine (or a smoked turkey substitute) on to the first of December’s two weekly winners who found the laughs in this photo of Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick the top-performing House Republican in a competitive district Our winner saw that the funniest thing about the photo was the look on the congressman’s face: Brian Fitzpatrick appears exasperated as he is forced by reporters to choose between karaoke and selfies on the steps of the Capitol.”—Blake Royal Brian Fitzpatrick demonstrates his canny ability to drift off to sleep and still answer reporters questions.”—Kevin Cook I never played quarterback in the NFL.”—Dan Burch “Irish-American politician from eastern Pennsylvania pleads for public to stop sending him pardon requests.”—Linda McKee “Tastes great OR less filling?  Couldn’t it be both?”—Mary Stine my tie was not made from a rugby jersey.”—Paul Williams I would have to say it was important to get the endorsement of the guy on the Quaker Oats box.”—Allan Hardcastle, Lincoln I won but more importantly how did you all do Did you have the parlay of Harris/Fitzpatrick in my district the over in the over/under at 10% on my margin of victory or the moneyline on me at -230?”—Richard Basuk as to our subpoena for the House cafeteria’s bean soup recipe…”—Bill Ward I’ll let you know when California is done counting the votes It should be done by Labor Day.”—Tripp Whitbeck INEDIBLE NUTS ESPN: “If an Ohio lawmaker gets his way teams attempting to plant their flags in the middle of Ohio Stadium during Ohio State games will be dealing with more than just pepper spray Ohio state Rep. Josh Williams introduced a bill Tuesday that would classify flag planting at Ohio Stadium around Buckeyes football games as a felony comes in response to Michigan’s attempt to plant its flag after a Nov where many Buckeyes and Wolverines fans intermingle … Williams said a criminal penalty was needed because those who travel across state lines and violate university policies likely would avoid any significant repercussions The project is funded by the ARC’s ARISE grant initiative that drives large-scale regional economic transformation through multi-state collaboratives in the Appalachian region Manchin said collaboration among institutions in the region will have a powerful impact in delivering a trained cyber workforce “Appalachia’s academic institutions are integral to the growth of our region’s cyber security workforce,” said Manchin “Cyber security is an industry that requires a continuum of learning By collaborating across community colleges and four-year universities the academic institutions at today’s roundtable will give Appalachians the skillsets and knowledge they need to obtain careers in this growing field and establish our region as a stronghold for cyber security nationwide.” Attending this morning’s roundtable were individuals from Mississippi State University Ashland Community and Technical College and Marshall University Manchin also visited the Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center which is launching a new career skills training program with a $1 million ARC grant The enhanced industrial maintenance program called SMART (Systems Maintenance offered in partnership with Mountwest Community and Technical College will begin classes this fall at MAMC Huntington and at the Marshall University Mid-Ohio Valley Center in Point Pleasant Photos: https://muphotos.marshall.edu/2024/Miscellaneous-/Miscellaneous-Events/71624-ARC-Cyber-Security-Education-Roundtable Video: https://bit.ly/4cKRjTq gave his final floor speech Tuesday afternoon as he prepares to retire at the end of December Joe Manchin put a bow on a political career spanning 42 years by giving his final speech Tuesday afternoon on the floor of the U.S Senate as he retires at the end of the year “I rise with a full heart and overwhelming sense of gratitude,” said Manchin “It’s been the honor of my life to represent my great State of West Virginia in this great country of ours I have seen the power of good people coming together to solve tough problems,” Manchin continued “Sometimes we thought it was impossible Manchin announced his retirement from the U.S declining to run for a third six-year term as West Virginia’s senior senator Manchin switched political parties in May after being a life-long member of the Democratic Party won a special election in 2010 to succeed the late Democratic U.S defeating Republican Morgantown businessman and media mogul John Raese Senate in 2012 after being challenged by Raese again defeating Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey I walked in this building not knowing what to expect,” Manchin said “I truly believed that I could continue to bring our common sense West Virginia values to Washington and do even more for our great state in our country.” a little small coal mining town in West Virginia where we learned early on that the best way to get ahead was to roll up your sleeves and get to work,” Manchin said “My grandparents were born in Czechoslovakia on my mother’s side and Italy on my father’s side And they all came to the country in search of this American dream they heard about…From them I learned a core principle: you have a moral obligation to help those who can’t help themselves.” Manchin is credited with fixing the state’s broken workers’ compensation program increasing pay for teachers and school service personnel and implementing policies that reduced the state’s total debt and unfunded liabilities “When I started in the West Virginia State House of Delegates “Then I went to the state Senate and I became one of 34 and then I became governor of the State of West Virginia How can I be in a position to help more people in my state?” While struggling in his first years with transitioning from chief executive of a state to being one of 100 lawmakers Manchin famously said “this place sucks” of the U.S The Democrats held control of the Senate during the first half of Manchin’s first term “Coming here to Washington was so humbling “It didn’t take long for me to see that the divisions here run pretty deep…If the Senate was going to work on behalf of the people we needed to treat each other with respect And I’ve tried to do that with everybody.” But it was when Democrats regained narrow control of the Senate in 2021 that provided Manchin an opportunity to use negotiation and pressure as the key vote needed for President Joe Biden’s agenda Manchin helped negotiate the final COVID-19 THE $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act helped negotiate the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act After saying no to Biden’s trillion-dollar Build Back Better package of social spending programs at the end of 2021 Manchin went back to the negotiation table to craft what became the $737 billion Inflation Reduction Act The IRA included investments in clean energy healthcare and prescription drug price reform Manchin served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources dealing directly with West Virginia’s fossil fuel industry Manchin served on the Senate Appropriations Committee helping to direct billions in funding to the state Manchin was also a member of the Senate Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs committees During his more than 12 years in the Senate Manchin worked with members of the West Virginia congressional delegation and fellow senators to protect coal miner pension and healthcare benefits worked to create the state’s first national park fought to include completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline in a government funding bill a law meant to ensure medical professional have knowledge of a patient’s previous opioid addiction history former member/past president of the state Board of Education and former cabinet secretary to the previously named Department of Education and the Arts Gayle Manchin now serves as co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission After traveling around the country last year considering an independent run for president on a unity ticket Manchin will spend part of his retirement working with his daughter Manchin has two other adult children and several grandchildren Manchin will be succeeded by Republican Gov who won his election in November over his Democratic opponent But Manchin said his famous houseboat docked along the Potomac River was going nowhere and he would still be available whenever his colleagues needed him “I hope you all make an effort to visit with each other,” Manchin said You all call me whenever you want to come down We’re going to get together whatever you want “As I look around the chamber and I think back on the good times and bad times I want you to know I still believe in this system “I believe in the purpose of what we have and basically the challenges we have before us I believe in the institution of democracy and the need to cherish it.” She is also now the fourth ranking member of Senate Republican leadership as the GOP takes the majority next year and the next chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee She took to the Senate floor after Manchin’s remarks to praise him for his public service “Everybody’s Joe’s neighbor and that’s what makes him a relentless advocate for our state,” Capito said “Joe has always led with conviction and a very steady hand… I’m so proud of the accomplishments that we’ve had together through and through,” Capito continued “Never does his gaze wonder from what he sees as his moral obligation to improve the lives of West Virginians Joe’s love of the Mountain State is the engine that powered his pursuit of public office and I’m sure it will continue to power his efforts once he leaves.” Today's breaking news and more in your inbox in conjunction with the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson 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WHEELING — Vitalant reminds the public that new moms need blood for one in every 83 births STEUBENVILLE — Jefferson County Commissioners finalized the long-term deal they’d sought to keep the Social .. Copyright © 2025 Ogden News Publishing of Ohio | https://www.heraldstaronline.com | 401 Herald Square Lifelong Democrat who became independent gives series of warnings to former party and predicts US ‘is not going left’ Senator Joe Manchin a lifelong Democrat who left the party earlier this year to become an independent and is now stepping down from the US Senate after 15 years issued a series of warnings on Sunday to members of his former party “The D-brand has been so maligned from the standpoint of – it’s just, it’s toxic,” Manchin told CNN saying he had not been able to consider himself a Democrat “in the form of what Democratic party has turned itself into” said the party’s approach had become censorious and dictatorial to ordinary Americans “They have basically expanded upon thinking: ‘Well but we’re going to tell you how you should live your life from that far on,’” Manchin told the outlet Manchin predicted the country “is not going left” and said a party that has once been focused on basic issues, “good job, a good pay”, was now preoccupied with social issues that were sensitive – singling out LGBTQ+ rights – while neither they nor Republicans took responsibility for the federal budget The senator also said Republicans lacked common sense on the issue of gun control and neither had adopted a reasonable approach to the perennially high number of mass shootings “They’re too extreme – it’s just common sense,” Manchin said of parties. “So the Democrats go too far Asked about remarks made by Greg Casar, incoming chair of the progressive wing in Congress, that Democrats would have won the election if they were more like the progressive congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Manchin responded: “For someone to say that, they’ve got to be completely insane.” Read moreThe senator also blamed Kamala Harris’s White House election loss to Donald Trump in November on her struggle to cast herself as a moderate candidate after supporting progressive causes during her Democratic nomination run in 2019 “If you try to be somebody you’re not, it’s hard,” Manchin noted. The senator did not publicly support Harris’s campaign. On Sunday, he declined to say which candidate he voted for in November – but said he liked the president-elect and had recently told him: “I want to help any way I can” and wanted him to succeed “Every red-blooded American should want your president to succeed whether you like him or not,” Manchin added But he also said he believed it was time for a third party in the US – called the American party – that would serve as center ground for moderate Democrats and Republicans Free newsletterA deep dive into the policies controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration “The centrist-moderate vote decides who’s going to be the president of the United States They go to their respective corners,” Manchin said “If the center had a voice and had a party that could make both of these – the Democrat In a more policy-focused sit-down on CBS’s Face the Nation would have “to come to grip that’s the worst-performing Congress in the history of our country” Turmoil during the previous session which saw a prolonged leadership battle had tied Republicans “in knots and [they] can’t get anything through” And he slammed the party for failing to reach out to Democrats “to continue to have a majority with some bipartisanship” Manchin predicted that Trump would understand his role as president “an awful lot better now than he did in 2016 when he won the first time” “He’s got some experience under him,” Manchin added “He understands the process and the power that he’s wielding right now.” Log in to comment on videos and join in on the fun Watch the live stream of Fox News and full episodes Reduce eye strain and focus on the content that matters This purchase is available as a free download with your MyC-SPAN account C-SPAN.org offers links to books featured on the C-SPAN networks to make it simpler for viewers to purchase them C-SPAN has agreements with retailers that share a small percentage of your purchase price with our network C-SPAN earns money from your qualifying purchases C-SPAN only receives this revenue if your book purchase is made using the links on this page Any revenue realized from this program goes into a general account to help fund C-SPAN operations Please note that questions regarding fulfillment or issues relating to your book orders should be directed to the Webmaster or administrator of the specific bookseller's site and are their sole responsibility MyC-SPAN users can download four Congressional hearings and proceedings under four hours for free each month There are three ways to set in and out points for a clip: Check your selection with the "Preview Clip" option If you are editing the times of an existing clip you may only set a start and end time within the original clip boundaries This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page hospital and health care leaders shared strategies and stories highlighting the importance of passing the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees Act (H.R bipartisan legislation that would provide federal protections against violence to hospital workers president and CEO of Potomac Valley Hospital in Keyser and Garrett Regional Medical Center in Oakland general medicine service line director at Indiana University Health West Hospital in Avon and chair of disaster medicine at the American College of Emergency Physicians Manchin stressed how important it is for Congress to enact federal legislation this year to address workplace violence in hospitals “Elections and politics should not affect this common-sense piece of legislation,” he said “And we’re going to stay on it until we get it finished.”  Culpepper discussed how workplace violence is affecting an already-strained occupation “We know that many nurses go into the profession to care for people and when those people are physically or verbally abusive [nurses] leave their shift feeling demoralized and burned out,” she said “We already have a nursing shortage that isn’t related to workplace violence but this is perpetuating the issue significantly.”  Phillips described being physically and verbally attacked numerous times while providing care in the emergency department and he emphasized how violence in a health care setting affects patient care our preeminent goal is to provide excellent medical care to our patients If we can‘t feel safe in a room with a patient It’s not always about us.”  Boucot described efforts in his two hospitals to prevent and respond to workplace violence “We are working with our teams and creating workplace violence task forces throughout the organization to continue to educate people that [violence] shouldn’t be an acceptable part of the work that you do,” he said “Sometimes it’s us standing up and saying ‘this isn’t OK’ that makes a change.” handed the incoming Trump administration control of a key labor rights watchdog by siding with Senate Republicans on another vote as they near the end of their terms in Congress.  The two retiring centrist lawmakers voted on Wednesday to block the nomination of Lauren McFerran to another term on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) The vote sinks an effort by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to extend a 3-2 Democratic majority on the board into 2026 and allows Donald Trump to pick her replacement when he takes office The NLRB oversees employees’ rights to organize and adjudicates worker disputes at companies like Amazon With the Trump administration expected to weaken the NLRB’s labor regulations, Democrats had urged Schumer to vote on another five-year term for McFerran. Sinema (Ariz.) voted “no” with every Senate GOP member except Roger Marshall (Kansas), who did not vote. Congressional reporter Jamie Dupree noted that Sinema had missed numerous recent votes Manchin (W.V.) returned to the chamber floor to vote “no” on advancing Trump’s NLRB picks during his first term largely sided with business against workers. Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, said that the senators who blocked McFarren’s re-nomination “voted against the working people of this country." Around 140 former Trump administration employees were involved in the Project 2025 conservative policy agenda laid out by the Heritage Foundation, a blueprint that seeks to quash the ability of private-sector workers to form unions severely restrict or even ban public-sector unions undermine long-standing worker protections and roll back national labor rules such as overtime pay The best reporting on the money behind the headlines (The voting rights bill was twice filibustered by the Senate GOP and expired at the end of 2022.)   The secretive family coal business provided Manchin with more than $5.2 million in income from 2010 into 2021 Chamber and other business lobbying groups.  much of it going to fund luxury travel and fundraising trips.  After bowing out of a Senate re-election contest in West Virginia and opting against a presidential run, Manchin’s next move was to launch a centrist nonprofit with his daughter for which they are seeking to raise $100 million who re-registered as an Independent in December 2022 bowed out of a re-election contest in Arizona Several big-name Republican megadonors made rare contributions across the aisle to Manchin and Sinema as the pair played out their dissatisfaction with the Democrats’ major budget reconciliation bill a gigantic donor to the pro-Trump super PAC this cycle The centrist former senator will join lobbying firm Bondi Partners as senior advisor and private equity giant Apollo as advisor Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern discussed the senators’ betrayal of their former party on Saturday’s Slate Plus bonus episode of Amicus Dahlia Lithwick: Let’s talk about two people who have seemingly chosen the path of least resistance they screwed the progressive project yet again Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer teed up a vote on Lauren McFerran for another term as commissioner on the National Labor Relations Board and she was legally eligible to be reconfirmed to another five-year term as commissioner This was a priority for Schumer because the NLRB basically oversees labor law throughout the United States and crafts policy around union organizing she would have locked in a majority on the NLRB until 2026 There would have been a 3–2 Democratic majority of commissioners for quite some time And that would have been massively beneficial to organized labor making it much easier for unions to demand recognition and bargain fair contracts Democratic commissioners are sympathetic toward labor while Republican commissioners are management-side lawyers who hate unions and do everything they can to crush them So Schumer decided to push McFerran’s nomination through Almost every Democrat voted to move her confirmation forward while every Republican present voted to block it Then Sinema and Manchin showed up in the chamber to block her by a 50–49 vote This is especially galling because Sinema had not shown up to vote for weeks She basically disappeared before Thanksgiving then popped up here to cast a decisive vote against McFerran Now Sinema and Manchin have guaranteed that Trump will be able to quickly take over the National Labor Relations Board in 2025 He can almost immediately install a Republican majority and get down to the business of crushing unions the agency will rapidly undo a huge amount of progress that’s been accomplished under Joe Biden and the current Democratic majority and basically pivot the agency from a labor ally to a labor antagonist All of this could have been put off until well into 2026 But because Sinema and Manchin didn’t want Democrats to have this win they’ve ensured that Trump can flip the NLRB and make life so much harder for workers who want to join a union I guess I find myself thinking: There are a lot of really good independent people working at these agencies There are good people working at the NLRB who actually believe in the mission of the NLRB I’m wondering: What happens if the agency gets Trumpified overnight Does it really just suddenly flip and hates unions and I think the timing of the Senate vote was especially painful because it came down around the same time as a federal court decision that will devastate the broader independence of the NLRB The commission was designed to be somewhat independent; that’s why presidents are not allowed to fire commissioners and why McFerran would’ve been able to continue serving under Trump But there’s another layer of independence here: The NLRB has administrative law judges who are on the front lines of labor disputes deciding cases when workers complain that management has violated their right to form a union and bargain a fair contract It’s so important for these administrative law judges to be independent to make decisions based on law and facts rather than political influence that Congress gave them protections against removal Commissioners can’t fire judges without good cause This past week, though, Judge Trevor McFadden, a Trump appointee, struck down those protections against removal for administrative law judges He said they are unconstitutional under the separation of powers and gave the NLRB permission to remove them at will the agency can now remove judges who side with unions more than it wants The decision basically creates a road map for the NLRB’s incoming Republican majority to build out a bench of administrative law judges who are rubber stamps for management look: Some Republicans say that protections against removal for NLRB commissioners are unconstitutional They argued that if the Senate did confirm McFerran Trump should try to fire her anyway and challenge the removal protection Who knows if the courts would’ve allowed the commissioners to retain their independence and protection against removal Why not at least give it a shot and follow the law as it stands and confirm McFerran to a five-year term whether Trump likes it or not It seems like Manchin and Sinema just decided to preemptively give up and let Trump take over the NLRB immediately I think their actions showed that there is remarkably little resistance to Trump and Trumpism in some quarters of the center and center-left They’re letting Trump do whatever he wants starting on Day 1 It’s such a different energy from what we felt after the 2016 election when it really did seem like the bulwarks were going to make an effort to resist To watch a video of Chairman Manchin and MVP leaders discussing today’s achievement, click here. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to celebrate the official start of operations of the Mountain Valley Pipeline to announce that the Mountain Valley Pipeline has officially entered service and natural gas is now flowing West Virginians have stepped forward time and again for causes greater than ourselves We've mined the coal that forged the steel that helped turn our country into the greatest industrial might the world has ever seen our great state burnished our legacy as America's energy powerhouse This pipeline is essential in ensuring the nation's energy and national security and providing affordable reliable natural gas to hundreds of thousands of Americans with the Mountain Valley Pipeline officially in service we are continuing to fulfill that legacy,” said Chairman Manchin we have the ability to produce and to transport and be able to deliver the best cleanest energy and technology that we have today to create more opportunities,” continued Chairman Manchin you saw the critical need and benefits to West Virginia and to the nation to do something that had only been done one other time in the history of this nation determining that a pipeline is in the nation's interest and mandating that it be completed We wouldn't be here today without that,” said Tom Karam Executive Chairman of Equitrans Midstream. “More importantly we will be flowing two BCF a day of natural gas to this region providing affordable and reliable natural gas to millions of consumers and thousands of existing and new businesses in the region All while making sure that as we built MVP we will continue to follow the highest standards.” “This is such an important day because the completion of MVP is the beginning of opportunity creation the gas that's flowing through Mountain Valley Pipeline will create a reinvestment opportunity to fill that pipe in the billions of dollars drilling and producing more gas in our producing regions,” said Toby Rice President and CEO of EQT. “We are going to be giving American manufacturing the biggest competitive advantage you can give them and that's access to affordable energy This is a tremendous opportunity for our American manufacturers.” A timeline of Chairman Manchin’s public efforts for the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline is available here smiles while being introduced during the 'Politics and Eggs' event Manchin is still not a declared candidate for any office five months before the 2024 general election But there’s still time to mull potential runs for governor Joe Manchin indicates he just might not “be sailing into the sunset” after his Senate term ends in January he plans to keep his Washington-based houseboat “Almost Heaven” where it is through at least 2025 “I am going to keep it for about a year to see if I can still use it to bring Republicans and Democrats together,” Manchin said of the boat No one is reporting and no one knows about it “It’s a great gathering place I’ve used for 14 years and I’m going to continue to use it.” Manchin isn’t giving much indication of what his plans are once he leaves the Senate I’m not going anywhere,” he said “I’m not leaving West Virginia This will be the first time – after Jan 23 (when his term ends) – that I can schedule something and maybe be able to make it “I’ve never been able to set my own schedule for 42 years but I still want to be able to help people and connect them with the people to get them help.” Manchin believes he has accomplished all he can in the chamber “within the confines of the structure we have.” He said he has made a lot of friends there and he thinks maybe he can help encourage a center-middle in a politically-divided environment What both parties have to recognize is that the people of America have chosen no affiliation greater than either party the Democratic party has a 23% registration This leaves those with no affiliation to either major party at over 51% Be responsible for it,” Manchin said Manchin lists among the accomplishments of his Senate tenure securing for coal miners lifetime pension and retirement benefits There has also been more investments by the federal government in West Virginia in recent years Manchin reported that over the last four years the state has captured an additional $22 billion from Congress “I’m just asking the state Legislature to not squander it because it’s never going to happen again,” he said He acknowledged he would have liked to have seen more political camaraderie in Washington amid an environment that encourages sitting senators to campaign against their colleagues in the opposing party “I’ve seen both parties turn into a business machine making billions of dollars,” Manchin said “Their business plan is if I can make you pick a side and hate the other side “That’s not how you run a country but the resiliency we have built into the checks and balances is going to be tested,” Manchin said We’ve been through some really tough times Manchin added he had hopes for the Democratic and Republican parties coming together – “but only if there’s a third party that’s a modern centrist party called the ‘American Party.'” ‘You’re Americans first,'” he explained “If you want to go clear to the left or clear to the right you better come back to the middle to be all inclusive because that is what is going to take.” Manchin said his advice to lawmakers from the state is “we are all West Virginians first.” “So if you believe the party defines who you are If you believe you can help – whatever the identification ‘D’ or ‘R’ before your name – and you have a calling for public service “But really don’t let the party catfight You must put your country and your state above your party affiliation And the other side is not your enemy.” As for the rumors that he is interested in taking over the president’s job at West Virginia University following E He added he didn’t know anything more about them | https://www.theintelligencer.net | 1500 Main Street Photo: Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images CSIS scholars explore the significance of this bill Permitting Reform Progress, Not Perfection |  Quill Robinson  Providing Legal Clarity on Fossil Fuel Disputes | Kunro Irié   No Panacea, But Still a Boon for Renewables | Ray Cai  U.S. Economic Strategy Relies on a Bigger Grid; This Legislation Gets It | Cy McGeady  Senior Program Manager and Associate Fellow Energy Security and Climate Change Program The need to streamline the permitting process to achieve the emissions reduction potential of the Biden-Harris administration’s landmark climate laws has brought Democratic climate hawks on Capitol Hill into the permitting reform conversation some Republican members of Congress may argue that the bill does not go far enough the Energy Permitting Reform Act’s path to the president’s desk is long it is an important marker of progress on addressing a challenge hindering the United States’ energy security and climate goals Both bureaus have since released the minimal amount of acreage which has drawn additional legal challenges from both industry and environmental groups but they may be a hard pill to swallow for environmental groups as they could act as a foundation for a revival of regular lease sales It also includes a strict 90-day decision timeline for the DOE to assess if a project should not be approved—addressing concerns that DOE authorizations have dragged on for many months the bill does not restrict any studies or subsequent updates on the approval process including any updates to the “public interest” interpretation Considering the current political environment and the fact that the Biden-Harris administration expects to conclude ongoing studies and restart with potentially updated standards in spring 2025 the immediate impact of this bill on LNG is unclear it would provide clarity over disputed points about the LNG approval and review process If rebuilding the United States’ position in semiconductor fabrication or preserving leadership in artificial intelligence technology is in the strategic national interest, then by extension, so too is the expansion of the U.S. power grid to serve these and other growing, energy-hungry industries. This package of proposed reforms understands the stakes and rightfully targets the high-voltage interregional transmission projects that deliver maximum strategic benefit to the United States but that are paradoxically the most burdened by status quo permitting and planning regimes.  affirms the primary role of states and utilities in developing transmission project plans within regional working groups Projects developed under the new interregional planning rule would automatically meet the national interest criteria for backstop siting authority projects developed under regional planning would likely qualify as well this legislation brings desperately needed coherence to the overall planning landscape and alongside important permitting provisions elsewhere in the text it could deliver the strategic energy infrastructure that long-term U.S Commentary is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary CSIS does not take specific policy positions and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s) © 2024 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies See Media Page for more interview ©2025 Center for Strategic & International Studies Manchin and Barrasso’s new legislation shouldn’t go any further WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 31, 2024)–In response to Senator Manchin’s (D-WV) and Senator Barrasso’s (R-WY) Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 moving out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Greenpeace USA Climate Campaigner Destiny Watford said: “The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee’s decision to move this piece of legislation forward This bill would lock us into decades of oil and gas drilling and would essentially guarantee a disastrous LNG buildout on the Gulf Coast – a place that is already well overburdened with fossil fuel industry and pollution It’s completely out of line with what science and justice demand The bill must not move any farther than it already has and it certainly shouldn’t be attached to any ‘must-pass’ legislation in the future and Ron Wyden for opposing this fossil-fueled nightmare and encourage others in the Senate to do the same Manchin’s climate nightmare is taking us in the wrong direction and endangering entire communities all to line the pockets of his fossil fuel hungry donors It’s time to reject his proposal – full stop.”  In response to the Trump administration’s executive order directing the Department of Justice to take aim at state climate laws and lawsuits Today marks the anniversary of the controversial 2010 Supreme Court Citizens United ruling which unleashed a flood of corporate money into our political system.… None of these anti-democratic and pro-polluter measures have any place in a bill meant to raise the debt ceiling Even the fundamental arguments in favor of gutting NEPA are flawed.… Senator Joe Manchin is retiring at the end of his term but that won’t stop him from being a Democratic Party pooper all the way through the November election On Tuesday, following Vice President Kamala Harris’s announcement that she would do away with the filibuster in order to pass federal abortion protections Manchin said this move was a step too far and that he’d rescind his endorsement of Harris for president “She knows the filibuster is the Holy Grail of democracy. It’s the only thing that keeps us talking and working together. If she gets rid of that, then this would be the House on steroids,” said Manchin, speaking about the 200-year-old Senate rule to CNN Manchin seemed to paint Harris as a threat to democracy appearing to forget who else is on the ballot Manchin said Harris’s plan to end the filibuster in favor of a simple majority vote is enough to make him rescind his support for her as the Democratic candidate I think that’s basically something that can destroy our country and my country is more important to me than any one person or any one person’s ideology.” He went on to call ending the filibuster “the most horrible thing.” In the real world perhaps bleeding out in a hospital parking lot is more horrible In his time in the Senate, Manchin used his commitment to the filibuster’s 60-vote hurdle to stop critical popular legislation such as voting rights legislation in 2022 she said she supported banning fracking too I was hoping she would change this,” said Manchin Kamala Harris has a plan for restoring abortion rights as they existed under Roe v Vice President Harris said she would support eliminating the Senate filibuster in order to bring back federal abortion protections “I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe, and get us to the point where 51 votes would be what we need to actually put back in law the protections for reproductive freedom and for the ability of every person and every woman to make decisions about their own body and not have their government tell them what to do,” Harris told Wisconsin Public Radio Harris made clear that she supports averting the usual 60-vote threshold in the Senate and using 51 votes to put reproductive rights back into law “for the ability of every person and every woman to make decisions about their own body and not have their government tell them what to do.” This comes after Senator Bernie Sanders, who previously had stood strong in support of the filibuster, said earlier this month that he would make an exception to the rule to pass abortion rights Senator Chuck Schumer suggested that Democrats would try to use the filibuster carve-out after November Back in 2022, Joe Biden indicated his support for a filibuster carve-out specifically to codify Roe but met roadblocks like Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema who previously halted filibuster reform Reinstating federal abortion rights could prove to be a salient issue for voters in swing states Meanwhile, Donald Trump wants women voters to “no longer be thinking about abortion” as he’ll serve as their “protector.” government authorities determined that Israel was deliberately blocking food and medicine deliveries into Gaza during its brutal massacre in the territory But even after the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department’s refugees bureau shared their findings with senior diplomats in late April, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Congress almost the exact opposite days later, ProPublica reported Tuesday “We do not currently assess that the Israeli government is prohibiting or otherwise restricting the transport or delivery of U.S Blinken received a 17-page memo from USAID on Israel’s conduct which described instances of Israel killing aid workers regularly turning away trucks of food and medicine the State Department’s Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration also concluded that Israel was blocking humanitarian aid recommending that nearly $830 million in weapons and bombs to Israel should be frozen under the Foreign Assistance Act should pause additional arms sales to the country The State Department issued a statement in response to questions from ProPublica claiming that it had pressured Israel to allow more aid into Gaza “As we made clear in May when [our] report was released the US had deep concerns during the period since October 7 about action and inaction by Israel that contributed to a lack of sustained delivery of needed humanitarian assistance,” the statement read “Israel subsequently took steps to facilitate increased humanitarian access and aid flow into Gaza.” government’s handling of USAID’s memo led to internal conflict resigning in May over Blinken’s statement to Congress “There is abundant evidence showing Israel is responsible for blocking aid,” Gilbert wrote in a statement at the time That report and its flagrant untruths will haunt us.” Even Donald Trump’s allies can’t seem to find any evidence of the Haitian immigrant conspiracy that’s plagued Springfield since it was elevated by the top of the Republican presidential ticket two weeks ago After a visit to the beleaguered Ohio town biotech millionaire Vivek Ramaswamy brushed off the plainly racist MAGA theory that Haitian residents had been stealing and eating their neighbors’ pets “Having gone to Springfield, I didn’t see that evidence,” Ramaswamy said during a Tuesday appearance on CNN before attempting to flip the script back on Democrats I think we should apply the same standard 360 degrees,” Ramaswamy continued referring to comments Kamala Harris has made about women “bleeding out in parking lots” due to abortion bans Host Kasie Hunt was quick to push back, mentioning Amber Thurman a woman who died in Georgia after waiting more than 20 hours for care under the state’s restrictive abortion ban despite having just admitted that there is truth behind Harris’s words and none behind Trump’s “Let’s not use the fringe words that somebody on either side might say,” he said “And let’s focus on the actual content of the debate I think that’s going to be a key step to reviving our country.” Multiple city officials, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, and even J.D. Vance himself have stated in no uncertain terms that the Haitian immigrant conspiracy is false Since Vance and Trump began elevating the myth just two weeks ago, Springfield has received at least 33 bomb threats forcing it to evacuate and temporarily shutter several of its schools and a significant portion of its government facilities Meanwhile, the surrounding area has seen a restructuring of its local Republican boards in light of the controversial conspiracy. One Ohio sheriff lost his election duties after he elevated the conspiracy by inviting locals to send him the addresses of constituents with Harris-Walz signage in their yards Donald Trump just can’t stop talking about Kamala Harris working at McDonald’s—and now he’s escalating things for absolutely no reason Harris has previously said that she worked at the popular fast food chain when she was a college student and referred to her experience as part of her call for livable wages and protections for workers from sexual harassment and abuse Trump, whose first job as the son of a real estate mogul was investing in real estate, seemingly cannot tolerate this bullet point on Harris’s résumé, and has latched on to right-wing conspiracy theories that it was a lie The former president has become so obsessed with trying to discredit Harris’s job experience that he told a crowd of his supporters he would try out working at McDonald’s for the day “I think I’m gonna go to a McDonald’s next week, some place,” Trump said during a rally in Indiana and I’m going to work the french fry job for about a half an hour “And these FAKE news reporters will never report it They don’t want to report it because they’re FAKE Unfortunately for the Republican presidential nominee the press does not typically report on stories if they’re not true but it was a big part of her résumé,” Trump continued Trump appears to overstate the role that Harris has given her experience at McDonald’s Harris explained at a campaign event in June 2019 that “I did the french fries and I did the ice cream.” Trump explained his own in-depth fact-checking process to show how he was able to determine Harris was lying: “They went to ‘Did she work here?’ ‘Did she work here?’ ‘Did she work here?’ She said we’re making hamburgers!’” He did not clarify who the “she” who told “them” to leave her alone is Trump: I'm going to go to a McDonald's next week. I'm going to go to a McDonald's and I'm going to work the french fry job for about a half an hour. I want to see how it is.. pic.twitter.com/5EXIqDdMz4 Harris’s claim that she worked at McDonald’s is eating away at Trump—he already ranted about the same thing in a post on Truth Social last week “How bad is it when a Candidate running for Office makes a major part of her Campaign that she works at McDonald’s, and it turns out not to be true, but the worst part is the Media refuses to talk about it!” Trump wrote Donald Trump railed against Haitian immigrants riling up the crowd who began chanting for their deportation Trump warned that left-wing think tanks are trying to “inundate” small towns like those in Pennsylvania, changing their character, and claimed that “they will never be the same.” He then mentioned the increase of Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio—who are in the country legally—and alluded to the racist pet-eating conspiracy that his campaign has helped to fuel “Do you think Springfield will ever be the same? I don’t think. The fact is, and I’ll say it now, you have to get ’em the hell out, you have to get ’em out, I’m sorry,” Trump said The crowd roared its approval as soon as Trump said, “Get ’em out,” and then began chanting Trump: Do you think Springfield will ever be the same? You have to get them the hell out. You have to get them out. Crowd: *chants send them back* pic.twitter.com/0QVkXCQ9si Last week, Trump singled out another town, Charleroi, Pennsylvania drawing an immediate response from town officials Charleroi’s recent arrivals are in the United States legally But the Trump campaign isn’t likely to stop its attacks especially since the former president and convicted felon relied on anti-immigrant slogans in his first campaign in 2016 It will be up to Democrats to find a way to counter Trump’s hateful and odious message Representative D’Esposito doesn’t want to answer questions about a report that he gave jobs in his office to his former lover and his fiancée’s daughter After a scoop from The New York Times the Long Island politician is under fire for this possible nepotism which could be grounds for a House ethics investigation given that D’Esposito led the charge and eventual expulsion of former fellow New York Republican George Santos from Congress D’Esposito could be seen dodging reporters hurrying away from even softball questions His only answer came when he was asked if he believed the report was a “political attack”—to which he responded Rep D'Esposito, endangered NY GOP, refuses to respond to questions about NYT report that he hired his mistress and fiancés daughter pic.twitter.com/RyQUTypkRW As he gave reporters the silent treatment on Capitol Hill, he released a formal statement Monday night that did little to deny the accusation and instead attacked the media “The latest political tabloid garbage being peddled by The New York Times is nothing more than a slimy partisan ‘hit piece’ designed to distract Long Islanders from Democrats’ failing record on border security “My personal life has never interfered with my ability to deliver results for New York’s 4th district and I have upheld the highest ethical standards of personal conduct Voters deserve better than the Times’ gutter politics.” D’Esposito faces a tough race in New York’s 4th congressional district in a rematch against Democrat Laura Gillen. The Nassau County GOP has defended the Republican congressman against the reports, calling the Times piece “politically motivated and baseless mud-slinging.” Santos, meanwhile, is celebrating his colleague’s downfall “Before anyone says anything, YES I’m petty!,” wrote Santos on X in response to the video of D’Esposito hustling away from reporters “This is just the tip of the iceberg folks!” House Republicans have a slim four-seat majority in the House meaning the pressure is on for the New York congressmen to find a better answer Donald Trump is still escalating his anti-immigrant rhetoric the Republican presidential nominee likened immigration to “the destruction of America” and promised that he would end “migrant flights” to Pennsylvania immediately and send “those who do not belong… back home.” “It takes centuries to build the unique character of each state. But reckless migration policy can change it quickly and permanently. Just like we’ve seen in London, and Paris, and Minneapolis,” Trump wrote early Tuesday (apparently lumping international capital cities in with states) she will flood Pennsylvania cities and towns with illegal migrants from all over the world—and Pennsylvania will not be Pennsylvania any longer.” all migrant flights to Pennsylvania will STOP the moment I take the oath of office,” he continued We will end the invasion of small-town Pennsylvania—and we will END the destruction of America.” In a weekend interview with Full Measure’s Sharyl Attkisson, Trump posited the idea of giving noncitizens “serial numbers” for the purposes of mass deportations a mental image that echoes the identification numbers forcibly tattooed on concentration camp prisoners Trump argued that the U.S.—which was founded by and has historically been a nation of immigrants—shouldn’t be a “dumping ground” for newcomers media coverage of border issues and his proposed deportation programs could be a solution to allowing him to follow through on his extreme plans “If you take a young woman with two beautiful children and it ends up on the front page of every newspaper It makes it a lot harder,” Trump told Full Measure “You put one wrong person onto a bus or onto an airplane and your radical left lunatics will try and make it sound like the worst thing that’s ever happened.” Donald Trump has spent months trying to distance his campaign from Project 2025 but some of his comments during a campaign stop in Indiana on Monday revealed that his platform is still nearly identical to the 920-page Christian nationalist manifesto Speaking before roughly 5,000 people at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex Trump flatly promised to demolish the Department of Education claiming that the federal authority was the reason for the country’s floundering education rates “We spend more money per pupil than any other country by far, and yet we’re at the bottom of the list,” Trump said “And I’m going to close the Department of Education and move education back to the states,” he continued "I'm going to close the Department of Education" -- Trump pic.twitter.com/DZ3tha3HCb The United States actually ranks twenty-second out of 41 countries, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Better Life Index The Republican presidential nominee then continued to compare individual states to countries that consistently place high on international education rankings which use national socialist structures to fund their public schools those states include Idaho and Iowa—but not California where Trump believes Governor “Gavin Newscum” would interfere with localized education systems You’ll have four or five that will be terrible Trump on closing the Department of Education and sending education back to the states: "Iowa will do good" pic.twitter.com/sER1nPCoLC Project 2025 has advanced seemingly outrageous policy positions staples of the executive branch such as the Department of Education It also proposes revisiting federal approval of the abortion pill placing the Justice Department under the control of the president slashing federal funds for climate change research in an effort to sideline mitigation efforts and increasing funding for the U.S.-Mexico border wall Trump claimed that he “knew nothing about Project 2025” and had “no idea who is behind it.” “I disagree with some of the things they’re saying, and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal,” he wrote on Truth Social Representative Lindsey Graham flailed while trying to help Donald Trump distance himself from North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson Within 24 hours of the bombshell report last week alleging Robinson had left inflammatory and explicit comments on a pornography website’s message board the Democratic National Committee launched a series of digital and billboard ads linking Trump to the North Carolina lieutenant governor Graham appeared on Fox News Monday night to try to separate the two and to bail out Trump’s slowly sinking campaign in the Tar Heel State “That’s literally their campaign in North Carolina, is trying to make people believe that Donald Trump somehow is involved with Mar—uh with the Robinson guy,” Graham said appearing to avoid saying Robinson’s first name They’re trying to guilt by association,” Graham whined Lindsey Graham: Their campaign in North Carolina is trying to make people believe that Donald Trump is somehow involved with Mar— with the Robinson guy. pic.twitter.com/c155mLP7xR Later, Graham tried to shame Democrats for going so low as to link Trump to a candidate he has openly endorsed and fawned over for more than a year. (In June 2023, Trump called Robinson “one of the great stars of the party “This is really a hit job, it’s unconscionable. And if we did this to them, it would be blowing up the entire mainstream media,” Graham said Unfortunately for Graham, Trump’s statements about Robinson are well documented, and that’s exactly what the advertisements are about. The billboard design will feature a photograph of Trump and Robinson standing together, with comments the former president has made about Robinson, according to NBC News West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is set to become the state's next U.S. senator, defeating Democrat Glenn Elliott in Tuesday's general election. Justice's win is a crucial moment for the Republican Party as it aims to regain control of the Senate. West Virginia has shifted sharply to the right over the past two decades making it a must-win for Republican strategists West Virginia Election Results 2024: Live updates, maps for every state race Jim Justice, a businessman who founded Bluestone Farms in 1977 has built the operation into the leading grain producer on the East Coast he ranks among West Virginia's wealthiest residents In 2015, Justice launched his campaign for governor. Initially registered as a Republican, he ran as a Democrat and defeated Republican nominee Bill Cole. However, just seven months after taking office, Justice switched back to the Republican Party announcing his decision at a rally with then-President Donald Trump in West Virginia Justice has highlighted several achievements including a state budget surplus and the Roads to Prosperity program His administration has also prioritized tax cuts and Second Amendment rights Glenn Elliott, an attorney and former mayor of Wheeling, West Virginia, served as a legislative assistant to the late West Virginia Senator Robert C. Byrd. Elliott's campaign focused on key issues such as healthcare and enhancing childcare and workforce development More: Election 2024 live updates: Trump, Harris hitting campaign trails hard; new polls Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X has switched his party registration from Democrat to Independent West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a lifelong Democrat whose policy positions have often been a thorn in his party's side, has registered as an independent on Friday just months before he’s set to end his term in the U.S 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.” Manchin’s role within the Democratic party has been the subject of rampant speculation as he has repeatedly dodged questions about how he defines himself politically He recently squashed rumors that he would launch a third-party 2024 presidential bid but has been vague about his future political ambitions Manchin also launched a listening tour where he traveled around the country and also previously appeared with the group No Labels which explored a possible third-party ticket but ultimately scrapped efforts has served in the Senate for nearly 14 years where he developed a reputation as a strong-willed dissenter within the party often stalling or refusing to support Democratic-backed legislation he disagreed with He joins three additional registered Independents in the Senate who left the Democratic Party in December of 2022 The Senate now has 49 registered Republicans Manchin previewed the change during an interview on Metro News Talkline "I've been thinking about that for quite some time," Manchin said when asked if he would consider becoming an independent "I want to make sure my voice is truly an independent voice I'm speaking about the good the Republicans do and the good the Democrats continue to do." He added: "You've heard me say a million times that I'm not a Washington Democrat." While it’s long been a question if Manchin would switch parties the drama surrounding his party affiliation escalated after the centrist dropped the bombshell news in December 2021 that he wouldn't support President Biden's roughly $2 trillion social and climate spending legislation known as Build Back Better "I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation I just can't," Manchin said on Fox News Sunday at the time Manchin's about-face came after months of negotiations on the spending package which would provide significant investments in combatting climate change and expanding the social safety net Many of his Democratic colleagues were outraged The Senator ended up working directly with Senate Democrats and the Biden administration to pass the Inflation Reduction Act which featured a portion of the policies Democrats were pushing in the initial Build Back Better legislation Manchin told reporters he offered to change his party affiliation to independent if he was an "embarrassment" to his Democratic colleagues me being a moderate centrist Democrat — if that causes you a problem let me know and I'd switch to be independent," he said at the time has repeatedly expressed interest in having Manchin join the GOP The West Virginian won in a red state that Trump carried by almost 39 points in 2020 "I've had this conversation off and on with him for a couple of years," McConnell said in 2021 on The Hugh Hewitt Show "I think Manchin is discovering there just aren't any Democrats left in the Senate that are pro-life and terribly concerned about the deficit and inflation he'd be joining a lot of folks who have similar views on a whole range of issues." McConnell said the pair had "discussed" whether Manchin would be able to retain the gavel of the energy committee Most analysts expect Democrats will lose Manchin’s seat this fall in the ruby-red state of West Virginia The state's Republican governor Jim Justice won the Republican primary just two weeks ago who was endorsed by former President Trump Justice is widely expected to win in the general election matchup Become an NPR sponsor News: Just weeks after leaving the Democratic Party, Sen Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) will start donating money to centrist lawmakers — including Republicans Manchin will convert his leadership PAC — Country Roads PAC — into a multicandidate vehicle according to a source familiar with the planning Manchin will then make $5,000 donations to Reps Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Jared Golden (D-Maine) A second group of contributions will likely include Rep the former CNN host turned Democratic congressional candidate in Long Island Curtis is the leading candidate in the Senate GOP primary in Utah Both Curtis and Avlon have their primaries tonight (more on that below) Manchin, first elected to the Senate in 2010, gave $10,000 to Sen Lisa Murkowski’s (R-Alaska) reelection campaign in October 2022 Manchin had endorsed her earlier that year But this new effort will be much broader and more sustained The 76-year-old Manchin isn’t running for reelection in November although he insisted that his recent party switch doesn’t signal a new campaign “Senator Manchin will look for candidates who walk away from the party purity tests and do the difficult work required to revive bipartisanship and represent the millions of Americans who feel left behind “This will send an important message to voters donors and companies that we all can and should do our part to change the political system and reward leaders who want to do the hard work and work together.” Kott — Manchin’s former senior adviser and communications director — is now a principal at Capitol Counsel Country Roads PAC reported more than $1.1 million in cash on hand at the end of March, per FEC filings. The bigger question is what will Manchin do with the $8.4 million left in his reelection campaign coffers We’re told that the issue is still under review Manchin’s decision to start donating to Republicans isn’t that surprising given his recent statements on leaving the Democratic Party as well as his longstanding criticism of the party’s shift to the left our national politics are broken and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground,” Manchin said earlier this month “The [party] brands are so toxic here in America that if you have a ‘D’ or an ‘R’ by your name you’re accused of being on the other side and hating this person or that person And I’ve never looked through partisan lenses at all from the political process.” Manchin, who chairs the Energy and Natural Resource Committee, endorsed Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) for reelection in 2019 a move that garnered national headlines during the hyperpartisan Trump era Manchin is well-liked among Republicans, who credit him with helping save the filibuster when President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats tried to get rid of it in 2022. Sen who also opposed eliminating the filibuster Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) will push for a Friday vote on an inherent contempt resolution against Attorney General Merrick Garland Garland has refused to turn over audiotapes of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interviews with Biden from the classified document probe The Justice Department has given congressional investigators transcripts of the interviews but not the recordings themselves despite multiple subpoenas from House committees House Republican leaders pushed through a contempt resolution against Garland won’t prosecute the sitting attorney general So House Republicans have two choices: inherent contempt or going to federal court and suing Garland and DOJ Inherent contempt is a terrible idea, of course, no matter which party floats it to garner some headlines. There’s a reason it hasn’t been used since the 1930s. As the Congressional Research Services notes, it’s been described as “cumbersome Leadership aides in both parties say there are enough votes to table Luna’s resolution - John Bresnahan, Andrew Desiderio The DoorDash effect: $107B in economic impact In 2024, DoorDash powered $107B in economic activity through sales for local businesses, from restaurants to grocers to florists. Dashers earned $16.7B, delivering 4 hours per week on average. Local delivery drives real economic impact. Explore the report. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use The former Democrat continues his right-wing inclinations During closed-door sessions last month, the Senate Armed Services Committee added amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act. These amendments ban the use of Department of Defense funds for “sex change surgeries” and prevent the military health system from offering hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and other treatments for transgender minors The amendments to the NDAA passed narrowly Manchin’s vote aligns with his past actions concerning LGBTQ+ rights. His low score from theHuman Rights Campaign reflects a history of lukewarm and sometimes opposing stances on critical LGBTQ+ issues Manchin’s inconsistent support for LGBTQ+ issues has earned him a dismal 55 out of 100 His vote to restrict essential healthcare for transgender service members and their families continues that pattern Ian Thompson of theAmerican Civil Liberties Union described the amendments as “a dangerous affront to the rights and freedom of transgender servicemembers with no financial The amendments, although passed in committee, still need approval from the full Senate. The bill must also be reconciled with the House version before it can become law. Historically, Senate Democrats have opposed anti-LGBTQ+ measures conservative efforts to limit transgender rights have intensified Republicans have flipped one Senate seat to deadlock the chamber while House races unfolded in a state-by-state slog and polls closed in key states that could decide control of Congress Jim Justice checks out the stage with his dog “Babydog,” before the Republican National Convention FILE - West Virginia Democratic Senate candidate Glenn Elliott gives a victory speech during the primary election results Justice compared his victory to when a 22-year-old Cassius Clay knocked out Sonny Liston for boxing’s world heavyweight championship in 1964 At his posh Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia Justice said in a victory speech that the political climate in Washington is “completely dysfunctional” and “if you were to come to Jim Justice and say ‘I want to shake up the world.’ That’s exactly what I want to do.” This will mark the first time since 1958 that both of West Virginia’s U.S Have you lost your mind?’ That’s probably a very Why are there people that have stood up for this nation and done this Justice declared himself the winner and said he saw no need to debate Elliott Justice pointed out that he easily won his primary over U.S Alex Mooney despite not putting up any campaign signs When asked why she picked Justice for Senate the resident of the Charleston suburb of Cross Lanes replied: “Honestly the name because it was familiar,” and said Justice had done a good job as governor voted for Justice while wearing a golf shirt with the logo from the governor’s resort But Harmon wasn’t sold on his job performance saying Justice would need to be more focused if he gets to the Senate “He carries that dog around with him everywhere.” voted for Elliott and said she didn’t like most of Justice’s policies as governor — especially in education although he said he was going to,” she said “I feel like he doesn’t have much of a backbone we (women) have been treated like property and garbage and that needs to stop,” Bays said West Virginia has been expected to go to Republicans upon Manchin's retirement given the state's deeply conservative politics