Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia has switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Independent.
The move follows Trump’s conviction.
“My commitment to do everything I can to bring our country together has led me to register as an independent with no party affiliation,” Manchin wrote on X.
In a statement, the senator said, “From my first day in public service in 1982, I have always focused on doing what’s best for my state and my country, without regard to party or politics. Throughout my days in elected office, I have always been proud of my commitment to common sense, bipartisanship and my desire to bring people together. It’s who I am. It’s who I will always be. I have never seen America through a partisan lens.”
He added that he as seen “both the Democrat and Republican parties leave West Virginia and our country behind for partisan extremism while jeopardizing our democracy,” noting that “our national politics are broken.”
Manchin explained that “neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground.”
“To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority,” he concluded.
Last August, Manchin said he was “thinking seriously” about leaving the Democratic Party.
The Senator commented during an interview with radio host Hoppy Kercheval that he has thought about becoming an independent leading up to the 2024 presidential election.
“I’m thinking seriously. For me, I have to have peace of mind, basically,” the senator said.
“The brand has become so bad — the D brand and R brand. In West Virginia, the D brand because it’s [the] national brand. It’s not the Democrats in West Virginia, it’s the Democrats in Washington,” he explained.