Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said Friday he has left the Democratic Party to become an independent with no party affiliation.
“Today, our national politics are broken and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground,” Manchin said in a statement. “To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority.”
Despite the change in party, Senate Democrats will maintain their one-seat majority of 51-49.
Manchin’s office initially declined to address whether he would still caucus with Democrats as an independent, such as when Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) did when she left the party in 2022. A spokesperson later reversed course, confirming that “nothing will change with caucusing with the Democrats,” a move that allows the Senate Energy Committee chairman to keep his gavel.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not clear whether Manchin made him aware of the decision before it was announced publicly.
Manchin, who’s often irked his liberal Democratic colleagues for his more centrist political views, is not seeking reelection this November. He’s served since 2010.
Manchin’s party affiliation switch comes amid speculation about his political future and potential longshot third-party runs for other offices. He shot down conjecture on Wednesday that he would mount a last-minute campaign for governor, an office he previously held. And although he’s also previously declined an independent Senate run, his latest move fueled further rumors of another bid for statewide office.
Notably, if Manchin did want to seek another office, Saturday is the deadline by which he needed to become an independent to run as one by the Aug. 1 candidate filing deadline.
The party switch also came the day after presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was found guilty by a Manhattan jury on 34 felony counts of falsifying documents in his New York hush-money trial, but Manchin made no indication the two were related.
“Throughout my days in elected office, I have always been proud of my commitment to common sense, bipartisanship and my desire to bring people together,” Manchin said. “It’s who I am. It’s who I will always be. I have never seen America through a partisan lens.”
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He continued: “However, since becoming a United States Senator in 2010, I have seen both the Democrat and Republican parties leave West Virginia and our country behind for partisan extremism while jeopardizing our democracy.”
Manchin changed his party affiliation in person at the West Virginia State Capitol.