In a natural extension of my service since I was first elected to Congress, I have joined the growing numbers of Arizonans who reject party politics by declaring my independence from the broken partisan system in Washington and formally registering as an Arizona Independent. 1/3 pic.twitter.com/jUQHAeuxym
— Kyrsten Sinema (@kyrstensinema) December 9, 2022
A true maverick, Sinema has been treated like dirt by the Democrats who have made it clear that she would not be re-nominated by them in 2024 when she comes up for re-election. If she caucused with the Republicans, and if Manchin switched parties, he is up for re-election in West Virginia in 2024, the reddest of red states, control of the Senate would switch to the Republicans. Pass the pop corn. The end of the year just got a lot more interesting.
Bonus Schadenfreude:
Call people traitors long enough and they may decide they have been on the wrong side the whole time. Great work Leftist Democrats!
Now if Manchin will join her, maybe the dem’s can be foiled
Certainly on judges Bob, since GOP control of the House should mean little legislation will get passed. GOP control of the Senate would also mean complete GOP control of all Congressional investigations, important, especially with a Presidential election year racing towards us in 2024.
Here’s hoping.
Essentially meaningless as she announced she will still caucus with the dems a la Bernie Sanders and Angus King. She is just covering her six because of a probable strong primary challenge by a more leftist dem in 2024.
Yeah, it is essentially meaningless.
1. With the House belonging to Republicans, the law setting the number of justices at 9 will remain intact. There will be no packing of the Court.
2. Nothing really has changed since the last Congress, so the filibuster will remain in place.
3. All Biden’s nominations will be approved, including those for any Supreme Court vacancies that might appear.
She’s really just raining on their parade, which suits me fine.
It’s not like she’s going to start voting differently, all of a sudden.
Exactly, CAG.
And besides the illegitimate Biden regime don’t need no legislation. It does what it does and wrecks everything.
I’ve been a small-i independent for decades but mainly [holding my nose] vote GOP.
Manchin should join her and probably does want to… but right now I’ll bet he’s being courted with all kinds of promises from the Left.
If Manchin’s Red state keeps re-electing him as a D, he has no motivation to switch parties.
My suspicion is that Manchin has a sentimental attachment to the Democrats. Let’s face it, many people are quicker to change churches and spouses than political parties. Sentiment aside, though, such power as he has derives from being a potential tie-breaking vote. If he goes over to either side entirely, that disappears, and if either side were to win a decisive majority, that disappears.
When that happens, I suspect Manchin ends up Republican. West Virginians hate the anti-coal Democratic Party with a white-hot intensity.
What Manchin does or does not do will be regulated by three realities: (1) he’s 75 years old and (2) he was nearly voted out of office last time, and (3) he has sufficient time in Congress to qualify for a federal pension. Note, the Manchins never lived outside W. Va. until they were past 60 and Mrs. Manchin spent most of her time in W. Va. up until about four years ago.
@Art — I lived in WV until a few months ago. Manchin is very popular there, which is why he was able to remain a Democrat. You have no idea how much Obama, (Hillary) Clinton, and Biden are despised in that state — then again, given how happily those three brag about putting coal miners out of business, you can probably guess.
The age issue has some weight. Then again, Robert Byrd served in the Senate until he died at 92.
Then again, Robert Byrd served in the Senate until he died at 92.
There are pathological types (Louise Slaughter, Dianne Feinstein, Chuck Grassley, Richard Lugar) and there are non-pathological types (John Danforth, Olympia Snowe).
Manchin won by three points in a good year for Democrats in 2018. In 2012 he won by 24 points. If I was Manchin I would not like that trend.
When was the last good year for Democrats in West Virginia? For this conversation, it doesn’t matter if they pick up seats in other states.
But you’re right about the trend. Manchin’s personal popularity cannot forever protect him from the taint of a party that is trying to destroy West Virginia and all West Virginians hold dear.
I am not a West Virginia resident…but close. Weirton is 25 minutes away.
Manchin did himself no favors by supporting that Inflation Aggravation Act. It turned alot of people against him and the Democrats are generally despised in WV…being a basket of deplorable bitter clingers, you know. BTW, Manchin will not become a Republican.
Sinema was going to be primaried in 2024. Now, it will be a three person race in Arizona in 2024.
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