Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) will oppose the Democratic Party’s legislation that would federalize elections, the For the People Act, citing the bill’s overtly partisan nature.
Manchin declared his position in an op-ed in the Charleston Gazette-Mail. According to Manchin, “voting and election reform that is done in a partisan manner will all but ensure partisan divisions continue to deepen.”
“I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For the People Act,” Manchin wrote.
Manchin also laid to rest the possibility he would ever support ending the filibuster.
“Furthermore, I will not vote to weaken or eliminate the filibuster,” he said. “For as long as I have the privilege of being your U.S. senator, I will fight to represent the people of West Virginia, to seek bipartisan compromise no matter how difficult and to develop the political bonds that end divisions and help unite the country we love.”
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Manchin’s announcement likely won’t end the Democrats’ quest for ultimate power but it is a crushing blow nonetheless. Manchin’s power in the Senate grew astronomically when the Senate became evenly divided following the Georgia Senate runoff elections, and he’s been courted in all sorts of ways by those attempting to curry his favor. Earlier this year, Joe Biden even nominated Manchin’s wife to serve as co-chair the Appalachian Regional Commission in a move some believed was an attempt to buy Manchin’s loyalty as Democrats were seeking radical agenda items like extreme gun control, a $15 minimum wage, eliminating the filibuster, and, of course, federalizing elections.
So, at the moment, two blatant power grabs from the Democrats appear to be dead in the water. Yet, one thing is clear: the next time Democrats have one-party control of the government, they will try again. Make no mistake about it, this isn’t over yet.
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