Like McCain, the former goalkeeper is not afraid to let his colleagues know where he is on any given day, whether in the Capitol corridors or in the news waves. Manchin often discusses publicly how he is struggling with difficult issues or votes. In a nod to his state, he lives on a boat while in DC called “Almost heaven”.
Senators say that following Manchin’s appearances in cable news or newspapers is as important as following comments from Senate leaders to understand where things are going.
“Joe loves to be in the middle of the action. And if you’re not sure what he’s thinking at the moment, just plug in any TV set and there he is, ”said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, Manchin’s Republican counterpart in West Virginia.
Making his dissent from the Democratic Party orthodoxy known is essential to Manchin’s political survival in a state that former President Donald Trump has won twice, by about 40 points. And although he has always sought to be an essential moderate in the Senate, he has encountered a lot of frustration during his 10 years as a senator, eventually declaring from the sacred chamber: “This place sucks.”
He was irritated by the leadership style of ex-Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Then found things a little better with GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Finding both leaders reluctant in accommodating your style of politics. Trump almost always ignored Manchin’s calls for cooperation, and Manchin had little in common with President Barack Obama, who is famous for opening a hole in Obama’s climate plan in a 2010 announcement.
Currently, Manchin could not be in a better position. His ally Chuck Schumer is now the majority leader and Joe Biden is the president after running as a unifier. They need your support in almost everything, and Manchin spoke to Biden several times just last week.
In a recent conversation reminisced by Manchin, Biden explained what he spent trying to convince Republicans to join the Affordable Care Act in 2009, only to be rejected after months of negotiations.
“Joe, I don’t have time to do this again,” said Biden to Manchin.
Manchin replied, “I respect that, Mr. President, I really do.”
This time around, Democrats are eager to put aside what they consider Republican offers to be serious and use tools like budget reconciliation to approve more expansive progressive projects with just a simple majority. Manchin is also supported politically by a Republican governor who is pushing for a big aid package.
But there are important limits to what Manchin, who sits in the chair once occupied by arch-institutionalist Robert Byrd (DW.Va.), is willing to do. Budgetary reconciliation is limited by a rule named by Byrd, and while Democrats can lift those restrictions, Manchin says he will not. And even if that process allows the minimum wage increase that Democrats expect – no foregone conclusion – Manchin said he would only agree to raise it to $ 11 an hour.
“I was more than willing to do [vote for the budget] to help the president in the way he believes he should do with the urgency of the pandemic, ”said Manchin. “But he knows that I will do everything I can to make him bipartisan and protect Byrd’s Rule at all costs.”
Manchin, along with Tester, are probably the only two Democrats who can win a seat in their states in the current political climate. Manchin considered retiring or running for his former job as governor, but in 2018 he ran for re-election and narrowly prevailed – in part for his support for Supreme Court judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Because of this dynamic, Manchin obtains a wide distance from the Democrats when it comes to his voting record. The United States has no royalty, but Manchin is very close to the Senate lord at the moment, now that is the deciding vote.
Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) hailed him this month as “his highness”, a nickname that makes Manchin a little ashamed.
“They just play. None of this does anything for me. It’s just a friendly chat back and forth, ”said Manchin. “I didn’t lobby for this position, I didn’t choose it.”
Compared to most Democrats, Manchin is a fiscal conservative, often voting with the Republican Party on abortion legislation, but he tried to strike deals on everything from immigration to gun background checks. He has found more success lately in helping coronavirus than in previous ventures, and is already pushing Biden’s package in a more moderate direction.
The Senate is already receiving suggestions from Manchin, approving its amendment with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) 99-1. Manchin endorsed Collins in his battle for re-election in 2020, which polished both their bipartisan credentials.
But she says her friend is about to have the weight of the Democratic Party falling on him.
“My experience with Joe is that he is a person you can count on. And if he gives you a commitment, he keeps it, ”said Collins. “It shouldn’t be easy for him to be in a caucus where the leader is putting enormous pressure on all his members to follow the party line, regardless of the merits.”
As for his relationship with Schumer, Manchin praises the New York Democrat, but is irritated by the idea that he could be defeated.
“Schumer never came up to me and said, ‘Joe, this is a party line vote, we need you.’ He understands me very well. And that is what I respect. We get along very well, ”said Manchin.
During the recent Senate marathon voting series, it was obvious why Manchin’s vote is so tempting for Republicans. He was the deciding vote on several amendments, supporting the 50 Republican senators in protecting federal funds for houses of worship and resisting Obama-era water regulation.
And perhaps the most important main issue that Manchin will be on the side of the Republican Party on is the minimum wage. He just seems unshakable in his opposition to a $ 15 national hourly rate.
“I would change it to $ 11. You know that. Because I think it’s basically a foundation that we should have in America now, ”said Manchin, explaining that he would increase his salary by $ 7.25 in two years. “You get people who work 40 hours at least above the poverty guidelines. States that have $ 15 already have them. That’s great.”
The tester and centrist Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) And Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) They will also be the central decision makers for Democrats’ priorities on immigration, health and spending issues. But even among that group, Manchin stands out.
“Who is most likely to vote with Republicans? I would say Joe, ”said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.).
Put it all together and it is almost difficult to imagine a legislator having so much control over the priorities of a party that controls the Senate, the House and the White House. Senator Kevin Cramer (RN.D.) said simply, “He’s the guy.”
Manchin was with his party last week when it mattered: he voted against the Republican Party’s efforts to retain funds for schools with vaccinated teachers who are not reopening, he rejected an effort by Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) To make it harder to expand the Supreme Court and side with Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida )’s efforts to crack down on Biden’s catch-and-release immigration policies. And then he voted to approve the budget and advance Biden’s agenda, at least for now.
Votes like these show that, despite his reputation, Manchin will side with Democrats most of the time. And that is likely to be the difference factor Biden needs to meet his agenda for the next two years.
After a decade of exasperation, Manchin finally has a chance to shape the legislation into his own image of crossing the corridor. But that hasn’t changed Manchin’s view of the Senate: it still sucks.
“That hasn’t changed,” he said as he walked through the Capitol basement towards the Senate floor. He was immediately surrounded by reporters, asking for his opinion on the day’s news.