Manchin denies seriously considering party switch to GOP

Sen. Joe Manchin III said Thursday he never seriously contemplated switching parties to become a Republican.

Mr. Manchin, a moderate West Virginia Democrat, said that a recent report that he’d discussed the topic with Senate GOP Whip John Thune was taken out of context.  

“If people want to read into whatever conversations we have, they can read into it,” Mr. Manchin said. “But they all know who I am … I’m a West Virginia Democrat.”

The denial comes after a new book by two New York Times journalists, “This Shall Not Pass,” claimed that Mr. Manchin had told Mr. Thune privately he would switch parties if the latter was the Senate’s Republican leader. 

Mr. Manchin said he did not recollect making the comment, but admitted it could have arisen in friendly banter.

We “are always kidding back and forth,” said Mr. Manchin. “I get that question every day. These are all my friends … but no.”

Mr. Thune told reporters on Capitol Hill that he always understood Mr. Manchin’s comments were made in jest.

“We have lots of conversations. I’m always on a regular basis trying to persuade him that he needs to come to the other side,” said Mr. Thune, South Dakota Republican. “A lot of those are obviously light-spirited conversations.”

The GOP whip added that while numerous overtures had been made to coax Mr. Manchin into defecting, he never believed the West Virginia Democrat had given it “serious consideration.”

Mr. Manchin’s future as a Democrat has been the subject of much speculation since he derailed President Biden’s $1.75 trillion social welfare bill last year.