In a striking admission, former Senator Joe Manchin revealed he secretly hoped Republicans would take control of the U.S. Senate in 2024 to halt what he called the Democratic Party’s pursuit of “raw political power.” In his new memoir, Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense, Manchin accused top Democrats—including President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer—of pushing radical reforms aimed at centralizing partisan control and silencing opposition.
Manchin, who left the Democratic Party and now identifies as an independent, said he viewed the GOP as the only remaining obstacle to prevent Democrats from eliminating Senate guardrails like the legislative filibuster. He wrote that Schumer’s leadership was driven by the demands of progressive activists and that Senate Democrats were pressured to vote in lockstep to dismantle institutional checks on majority rule.
According to the memoir, Manchin resisted that pressure and warned his colleagues that governing through brute force would come at a national cost. He specifically cited efforts to kill the filibuster and fast-track progressive legislation without bipartisan support. Manchin stated that while he didn’t align with Republicans on many issues, he preferred GOP control of the Senate if it meant preserving the balance of power.
The former West Virginia senator also noted his refusal to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, citing her alignment with those within the party seeking to override traditional Senate norms. He recalled being alarmed by how quickly Democratic leadership abandoned long-standing procedures for short-term political advantage, particularly during the passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan.
Manchin’s comments are likely to inflame tensions within the Democratic Party and affirm conservative concerns about the Left’s push to erode institutional boundaries. His account supports broader arguments that today’s Democratic leadership prioritizes political dominance over deliberative governance, using party unity to suppress dissent and bypass compromise.
