Manchin Denies He'll Switch Parties
Roll Call reports:
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D) on Monday evening batted down any suggestion that he is considering a party switch following his scheduled swearing-in next week as the Mountain State’s junior Senator.
Additionally, a Senate Republican leadership aide said GOP leaders made no such offer. Manchin and the Senate GOP aide were reacting to a FoxNews.com story posted earlier in the day. The report indicated that leaders were trying to entice Manchin to switch parties by offering sweeteners, such as support for favored legislation, and that he was considering the offer.
“Joe Manchin is a lifelong Democrat, and he is not switching parties. This is exactly what is wrong with Washington — individuals try to put politics before our nation,” said Melvin Smith, a spokesman in the governor’s office. “Joe Manchin wants to go to Washington to encourage Members of Congress to stop partisan bickering and start putting our nation’s needs at the forefront.”
Manchin was elected last week to finish the term of the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D) and must stand for election again in 2012. The governor is a conservative Democrat who campaigned on his opposition to President Barack Obama’s signature legislative policies and a pledge to challenge the liberal Democratic agenda and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
