Joe Manchin Joins Team MAGA Ahead of Midterms

Joe Manchin Trump
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 27: U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) looks on during a news conference to discuss the national opioid crisis, on Capitol Hill June 27, 2017 in Washington, DC. The Democratic senators discussed the opioid issue and how it relates to the Senate health care bill being considered. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The anti-Trump resistance has lost at least one footsoldier in Congress, with Sen. Joe Manchin joining team-MAGA. Manchin is up for reelection in West Virginia, a state that President Donald Trump won by more than 40 points.

“I’m open to supporting the person who I think is best for my country and my state,” Manchin said this week in an interview with Politico, insisting he’s willing to work with any President if they have good policies, regardless of party. “If his policies are best, I’ll be right there.”

It’s not surprising that Manchin would downplay his association with the Democratic Party, given how popular Trump is in his State, but he’s gone as far as to rebuke Hillary Clinton entirely. “It (endorsing her) was a mistake. It was a mistake politically,” he said, although he added that Hillary’s offer (if elected) of federal funding to rebuild parts of West Virginia could not be refused. “Is this about me? Or trying to help a part of my state that’s never recovered and is having a tough time?”

Manchin also just came short of stating that he’s open to supporting President Trump’s reelection campaign in 2020. “I’m open to supporting the person who I think is best for my country and my state,” Manchin told Politico, insisting that he would support any candidate from either party. “If his policies are best, I’ll be right there.”

Trump recently took a swipe at Manchin back in April, at a tax reform event in West Virginia. Trump slammed Manchin for opposing Republican plans to further overhaul the tax code, and repeal the rest of ObamaCare. Manchin has supported Trump on a number of other issues, including his tariffs, and the border wall (“in certain areas”).

We’ve been saying for months that Republicans are going to dominate in the midterms, and Manchin seems somewhat confident of that too. (RELATED: CNN Issues Major Warning for Democrats Ahead of Midterms).

Senator Manchin is currently in the fight for his political life, and Republicans are looking to unseat him during the 2018 midterms, so aligning himself with the president is likely a political calculation on his part.

Should Joe Manchin officially endorse President Trump? Share your thoughts below! 

By Matt

Matt is the co-founder of Unbiased America and a freelance writer specializing in economics and politics. He’s been published... More about Matt

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