Joe Manchin Is a Weasel Who Can't Leave the Senate Soon Enough

Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) has once again demonstrated his knack for political opportunism by flip-flopping on a promise he made earlier this year.

Back in March, Manchin announced his intention to only approve of Joe Biden’s judicial nominees if at least one Republican supports them.

“Just one Republican. That’s all I’m asking for,” he said. “Give me something bipartisan. This is my own little filibuster. If they can’t get one Republican, I vote for none. I’ve told [Democrats] that. I said, ‘I’m sick and tired of it; I can’t take it anymore.’”

Yeah, well, according to a new report from Axios, Manchin has reversed his commitment to oppose purely partisan judicial nominees, a move that has significantly eased Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s path to helping President Biden confirm radical left-wing judges and surpass former President Trump's record on judicial appointments.

Manchin’s flip-flopped on Thursday and voted to advance the nomination of Kevin Ritz for the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. This nomination, which garnered no Republican support, was supposed to be a litmus test for his March promise to vote “no” on any purely partisan nominees.

As Axios reported, this unexpected shift is a "huge win for Schumer," who had previously been relying on GOP absences or Vice President Kamala Harris to break ties.

In explaining his change of heart, Manchin's spokesperson stated, “When the senator found out that the opposition to Mr. Ritz’s nomination was largely based on political reasons as to how the [White House] handled the process, and not on his qualifications, he was not prepared to play that game.” This rationalization feels like little more than a flimsy excuse, revealing Manchin’s tendency to prioritize political maneuvering over principled stances.

The consequences of Manchin's backtracking are significant. During the Senate’s last two weeks in session before the election, Schumer plans to focus on judicial confirmations. If Senate Democrats successfully confirm all pending judicial nominees, they would surpass Trump’s record of 234 confirmations, setting a new record at 241.

Manchin's flip-flop is a stark reminder of why his impending departure from the Senate can't come soon enough. He showed a consistent pattern of shifting positions based on political convenience rather than steadfast principles. It's true that Manchin has been a thorn in the side of the Biden agenda in a few select cases, but he has largely been a hardline Democrat, mostly voting with Biden and the Democrats on legislation and judicial nominees. In 2022, Manchin entered into a deal with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to support the poorly named Inflation Reduction Act. Without Manchin’s backing, the bill would not have passed the Senate or become law, providing a much-needed legislative victory for President Biden — even though it did nothing to address inflation.

Thankfully, his seat will be in Republican hands after this election.