“Hatred Spewing Out of Every Time You Give a Speech”: Sen. Joe Manchin Expresses Serious Concerns Over Prospect of Trump’s Second Term

Michelle HollandNov 20, 2023

Minute Read

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) has warned Americans that a second Trump presidency would destroy the United States, just days after he announced that he will step down after his current Senate term ends. Manchin is known for being one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress, whereas West Virginia is a solidly Republican state that backed Trump in both presidential elections.

Manchin’s Resignation

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Manchin recently announced that he will not seek reelection to the Senate in the 2024 elections. This news has concerned many Democrat supporters, who fear that a Republican with even more conservative views than Manchin could fill his seat; others have speculated that he was trying to get ahead of an inevitable loss by stepping down.

Condemning Trump

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While Manchin does lean more right than the majority of Democrats, he has, unlike most Republicans, explicitly condemned Trump, saying that “he will destroy democracy in America” if given another term. Trump is currently involved in multiple legal battles regarding his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

2024 Speculation

There has been speculation that Manchin will run as a third-party candidate in the 2024 presidential election, which would most likely eat into both Trump and Biden’s voter bases — some Democrat supporters would be excited by the opportunity to vote for a non-Republican candidate who isn’t Biden, whereas more moderate Republicans would be likely to support Manchin over the far-right, election denying Trump.

Spoiler Candidate

Manchin, however, has insisted that he would not want to be a “spoiler” candidate that pushed Trump to get elected. Though he would not run as a Democrat, Democrat voters would likely still associate him with the Democratic Party and might see him as a better alternative to Biden, whose approval ratings have been at record lows.

Saving the Nation

However, Manchin has stated: “If they said, ‘You’re the only person to do it,’ I’ll do whatever I can to save this nation,” suggesting that he would consider a third-party run if confident that he would absorb Republican votes rather than votes that would’ve gone to Biden.

Two-Party System

Manchin has criticized the two-party system, claiming that “these parties have taken over to where they weaponize us against each other, and that’s wrong.”

The Danger of Trump

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Manchin has even more strongly denounced Trump, despite the fact that West Virginia is one of the most pro-Trump states; the former president won every county in Manchin’s home state in both 2016 and 2020. Manchin has gibe against his constituents, declaring that a second Trump term would be “dangerous.”

Trump’s Hatred

Explaining his opposition to Trump, Manchin has said that “you can’t have this visceral hatred spewing out of every time you give a speech, denigrating Americans. And the only good American is the one that likes you and supports you; the only fair election is the one you win; the law pertains to everybody but you.”

Criticisms of Biden

However, Manchin has also expressed his belief that Biden has been pushed too far left during his presidency, illustrating his overall more conservative views. Manchin is the only Democrat to still hold statewide office in West Virginia and revealed his resignation would be due to the political divide in the US.

Manchin’s Role In the Senate

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In the Senate, Manchin often served to help pass bipartisan laws while also obstructing more progressive legislation. He has been particularly opposed to policies surrounding clean energy, in line with West Virginia’s history of fossil fuel production. Manchin has wielded a lot of power due to the Democrats only holding a majority of 51 in the Senate — including independent Democrats like Bernie Sanders — compared to the Republicans’ minority of 49.

Next Career Moves

Though some people are angling for Manchin to pursue a presidential bid, he has yet to confirm one or unequivocally rule it out. He has hinted away from a future in the capital, claiming that: “I’ve done everything I can to try to change the political dysfunction and divisions that we have in Washington, and I’ve come to the conclusion, it can’t be done in Washington.”

Placing Blame

Online, many people expressed frustration towards Manchin, feeling like he was simply stating the obvious and had only hindered Biden during his presidency. One forum commenter wrote: “Thanks, Joe, for helping in that quest by blocking popular legislation that would have directly benefitted people and made this election a runaway for Biden.”

Helping Trump

“This guy has done a lot to pave the way for Trump. If he was really concerned, he would seek reelection and stop pandering to his home state’s fossil fuel interests,” one person replied, whereas others disagreed that Manchin would win reelection, particularly if he did a 180 on fossil fuels.

Maintaining the Senate

Many people expressed concern that the Senate would flip after Manchin’s departure, with one poster explaining that Democrats “still have a path to hold it, but they basically have to hold all of the toss-up seats, which currently seems possible, but I’d say less than a coin flip.”

A Presidential Bid

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The forum users speculated whether Manchin is gearing up for a presidential bid and whether Biden or Trump would be most negatively impacted. “He’d probably more likely take votes from Trump than Biden,” one user suggested, adding that Biden voters “hate” Manchin.

Wasted Votes

One Manchin voter complained, “Thank you Senator Manchin for all you’ve done to make me feel like my vote was wasted.” Another person added that “Manchin made more deals with his neighbor Mitch McConnell than Democrats. Now he’s considered too liberal for his own state.”

Manchin’s Legacy

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The general consensus was that Manchin would be best remembered for simply enabling Trump and his fellow Republicans. One contributor shared, “The first thing Manchin did when Biden got elected was go on Fox News and tell them he’d be a firewall between Biden and the Senate passing legislation.” Someone else proclaimed, “This man is a two-faced traitor,” whereas another concluded that he “is complicit in helping Trump run amok.”