Senator Joe Manchin to announce his political future on Tuesday morning - CBS News

Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia, one of the few bipartisan power brokers left in the sharply divided U.S. Senate, is set to announce Tuesday morning whether or not he plans to run again for his old job as West Virginia governor.

CBS News has learned that aides to Manchin were preparing drafts of two possible statements late Monday: One that signaled his intention to stay in the Senate and another announcing plans to run again for governor.

Manchin easily won re-election to the Senate last year, capitalizing on his reputation as a moderate Democrat and as one of the only members of his party in regular contact with President Trump.

Trending News

Despite his bipartisan position of influence on Capitol Hill, Manchin has always maintained that he much preferred serving in an executive role as governor. He was elected to the role in 2004 and was re-elected in 2008. West Virginia law allows him to run again.

Manchin is a former friend-turned-foe of current Republican Governor Jim Justice, who won in 2016 as a Democrat but switched parties two years ago at the urging of Mr. Trump. The senator has been outspoken in his criticism of the sitting governor in recent months and welcomed speculation he might run again for his old job.

"I've had a lot of inquiries they want me to come back home," Manchin told "Face the Nation" on August 18. "I have people think that maybe I should stay."

Manchin, 72, joined the Senate in 2010, succeeding the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd, also a Democrat, and quickly became a liaison between the two parties. His knack for bipartisan deal making emerged especially during the 2013 debate over gun control legislation after the 2012 Sandy Hook, Connecticut school shooting left 20 schoolchildren dead. Although his bipartisan plan to expand the national gun background check system failed to pass, members of both parties credited him with leading the debate.

In the years since, he's been a vocal critic of leaders in both parties and regularly draws the ire of liberal, or more partisan Democrats, for touting his partnership with Republicans or supporting GOP causes, including voting for Mr. Trump's Supreme Court nominees, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.

More recently, partisan Democrats have attacked him for endorsing the reelection of Sen. Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, one of his frequent GOP collaborators.

"I can't believe everyone's so damn hypocritical. She's the one person I work with all the time," Manchin told Politico last month about his endorsement. "Why would you not expect me to do that?"

2019-09-03 03:12:00Z
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senator-joe-manchin-to-announce-his-political-future-on-tuesday-morning/