Manchin Deals Blow To Dems’ Hope of Passing Election Reform Bill

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) says he will not vote for Democrats’ sweeping election reform bill, the For the People Act, which he says was crafted in a “partisan manner.”

In an op-ed published on Sunday, he said, “The right to vote is fundamental to our American democracy, and protecting that right should not be about party or 🏛️Politics. Least of all, protecting this right, which is a value I share, should never be done in a partisan manner.”

“Unfortunately, we now are witnessing that the fundamental right to vote has itself become overtly politicized. Today’s debate about how to best protect our right to vote and to hold elections, however, is not about finding common ground, but seeking partisan advantage,” he continued.

The West Virginia senator went on to note laws introduced in several states by Republicans that “needlessly restrict voting.” However, he also appeared to take a shot at Democrats pushing sweeping election reform bills “who ignore the need to secure our elections.”

“Partisan policymaking won’t instill confidence in our democracy — it will destroy it,” Manchin said.

He argued that election reform bills should be compiled by Democrats and Republicans but noted that the For the People Act has no Republican support in the Senate.

He asked, “Why? Are the very Republican senators who voted to impeach Trump because of actions that led to an attack on our democracy unwilling to support actions to strengthen our democracy? Are these same senators, whom many in my party applauded for their courage, now threats to the very democracy we seek to protect?”