AMAC Exclusive – By Barry Casselman
It is purely a hypothetical scenario now, but a very dramatic political party switch that could happen makes a lot of sense for two U.S. Senators facing uphill battles to win their re-election in 2024.
Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, both part of the current narrow Democrat majority (51 to 49) in the U.S. Senate, have been notable mavericks in Congress, often refusing to go along with the Biden administration and the pleadings of Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in trying to pass legislation.
Senator Sinema, in fact, has already declared herself an independent, although she is still caucusing with the Democrat majority.
Both Manchin and Sinema, however, are facing re-election in 2024, and are easily the two most vulnerable incumbents. They appear now to have dim prospects at the polls twenty-one months ahead.
Manchin, a once popular West Virginia governor, then senator, has watched his once blue state turn very red as Democrat energy policies turned against the state’s key coal mining industry and the liberal party abandoned its working class base. Manchin is now the only major elected state Democrat left, and to survive has had to oppose many left-wing proposals from the White House and his fellow Senate Democrats. At the end of the previous Congress, Manchin agreed to support the misleadingly named Inflation Reduction Act in exchange for what he thought were promised concessions on issues that would benefit West Virginia energy interests. The bill had been severely criticized by conservatives, who pointed out that the bill was ultimately inflationary. His vote upset a lot of West Virginians, and then Manchin’s Senate colleagues reneged on their promises — making Manchin seem ineffective.
Although Manchin would not be seriously challenged for renomination, the most formidable Republicans in the state, including GOP Governor Jim Justice, are lining up to run against him. If Joe Biden or another anti-coal Democrat is on the 2024 ticket, Senator Manchin would face a very tough re-election.
Sinema has so antagonized her own party in Arizona that Democrat Congressman Ruben Gallego has already indicated he will challenge her. Polls suggest he would easily win the Democrat primary against her. Polls also indicate that she would come in third if she ran in November 2024 as an Independent, and that the Republican nominee would win.
But Sinema, like Manchin, has an alternative political route to win re-election.
Sinema and Manchin could announce, either together or separately, that they are switching to the Republican Party now, making the GOP minority leader the new majority leader. They would need to demonstrate their new bona fides by voting consistently to block radical Democrat legislation and the appointment of liberal or leftist federal judges. They would also need to support the Republican nominee for president in 2024. This dramatic double shift would not guarantee that either of them would automatically win their GOP primaries, but it would be hard to defeat them. With their new party nomination, they would almost be unbeatable in November 2024 when Republicans would be likely to expand their control of the U.S. Senate, and both of them would be on committees as members of the majority.
Although this would be a momentous move on their part, their alternative is probable defeat at worst, or empty roles in a probable minority at best.
Sinema may have no realistic other choice for political survival; Manchin could run as a Democrat for governor (popular incumbent Jim Justice is term-limited), but his diminished standing with state voters, now overwhelmingly Republican, makes that option less appealing.
The scenario above is admittedly speculative, but since politicians, especially those already holding elective office, rarely act deliberately against their own self-interest and political survival, do not be surprised if it actually happens.
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Actually, regardless of what y’all think this would be a good thing if nothing more than giving the Conservatives the majority in the Senate.
It doesn’t matter who’s on the ticket for president I would not vote for them. They are against everything I would want my country to stand for. Until we put God back in our belief’s this country is doomed. All parties are on the road to One World Government. The Republicans are just a little slower. Maybe Trump did help wake up the Republicans. We’ll see. I see a nation under distress and only going to deteriorate more over the coming years!
JUST FOR THE RECORD — JOE MANCHIN’S COMMITTEE WROTE THE “INFLATION REDUCTION ACT”. HE WROTE IT HOPING THAT CHUCKY AND PELOSI WOULD RETURN SOME FAVORS. ALSO==== WHAT THE HXXX WAS HE DOING IN DAVOS??????
Yes Manchin was at DAVOS who wants to go with ESG which affects every aspect of our lives. They want a one world order! We don’t want to go down that road. Appears that we are moving fast toward that though. People will do whatever they want to stay in power – sheep in wolves clothing.
This is pretty ‘Iffy’. IF they switch to the Republican Party NOW that’s great?? However, what’s to prevent them from switching Back to the Democrats if things do not go as they anticipate. I do not think that a Politician should be allowed to jump back & forth between parties to suit their current ambition. If you win an election affiliated with one party then that’s who you represent, otherwise party choice is just another gimmick to get elected & you can bounce back & forth as the mood strikes. So, really, what’s new??
Wonderful.Two more Romney’s that’s the last thing the republican party needs
I think they have more honor than Mittens ever had.
If they did switch to the Republican party to win re-election, they would not be doing so to serve their constituents, but only to further their career politician status.
Yes indeed.
Knocking Schumer down a notch combined with Pelosi being out is a dream come true. I hope that Sinema and Manchin make that possible. I don’t expect miracles with their voting but I think it’s a step in a better direction.
So WHAT?!? McConnel is supposed to be a Republican, yet he sides cwith the Democrats more often than not…
Another RINO!!!!
I wouldn’t trust Sinema as far as I can throw my house. Manchin, on the other hand, did save us from the elimination of the filibuster. His agreeing to the BS “Inflation Reduction Act” (in reality the Climate Change Act) made me think twice about his loyalty to his state, the country and his party, however he showed his loyalty to his party and that turned me totally off with regard to him possibly switching sides. On the other hand he is nowhere near as bad as Murkowski, Romney, Collins and other RINO’s, so it’s a 50/50 with him. I do think his support for the “IRA” was the final nail in the coffin as far as any re-election – no matter which party he run in, and I think he knows it. This certainly will be interesting! God help us if we don’t keep the house and take back the Senate – at minimum!
Becareful of wolves in sheep clothing!!! I can tell you everything you want to hear, convince you, then do whatever I want to. We have been living in this political BS for the last 100 years!
The republican party doesn’t need, nor should the party allow them to be republicans. There’s enough of the libtard garbage there already.
Manchin was found in Davos! That’s a NO for me! No serious R should be within 1000 miles of that Anti-American nightmare cabal! And Sinema, “Bye, Bye”
Also the Governor of Georgia.
Kemp and his Buddy, Raffensperger, are responsible for the voting machines in GA. Follow the money. I do not trust either of them when it comes to voter integrity. Has Kemp decided to suspend his relationship with China yet? He would not address that question in the Governor debates 2022.
Come on, Mountaineers; get rid of this guy! He’s playing you for suckers by supporting the Senile One’s anti-coal policies!
Give me a break, this is nothing more than a smoke screen, these two Half-Wits are still Democrats at heart, they don’t give a flying-Flip about your civil liberties, or your constitutional rights or about equal treatment. I wouldn’t trust them not for one second, I would soon be in a pit with a 1000 rattle snake and believe I won’t get bit, then trust either one of these two. Hang on to your Wallet, your Constitution, Small Pets and Children when Democrats are around.
Both have one thing in mind I MUST WIN ELECTION. They do not care about the party or the people. Pure selfish reasons. I want the power and money
I fully agree. They are just digging in their claws to hang on to their cushy jobs, any which way they can!! No allegiance to party or cause, just hang on to the cash cow. Sickening
Only once in the history of the US has a minority switched to the majority without an election.
In 2001 Sen Jim Jeffords of VT changed from Rep to Independent and caucused with the Dems changing Sen Control. If they want to change parties, they should resign and run in a special election in their new party (like Phil Gramm did in Texas)
And if only pigs could fly. I like the idea of both Senator Manchin and Sinema switching parties. As the article mentioned it would make good sense for both individuals to do so and I believe it would be good for our republic, but until it actually becomes reality I wouldn’t put too much into it.
This is a what if piece. Why is it that in America as soon as we are done with one election we are busy with the next one.
It’s a shame that decent Democrats cannot function in the current Progressive controlled Democrat Party. The only way these Democrats can survive in politics is to remove themselves from the Democrat Party. Whatever it takes should be.
kind of reminds me of a pigpen. How bad does the stink get before you jump over the fence?