Long-Time Democrat Turned Independent Joe Manchin Withholds Endorsement For Kamala Harris: 'This Would Be House On Steroids' Says Senator, If Vice President Gets Rid Of Filibuster

Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris may be riding on the high of the strong impact she has created among voters ever since she replaced President Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket in late July. But she can’t count on the support of Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), who was a Democrat until May this year and has since then registered as an independent, refused to endorse her.

What Happened: Manchin’s stance against Harris comes as the Vice President said in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio that she was in favor of bypassing the Senate’s filibuster rule if it was needed to protect abortion rights. A Senate filibuster is an attempt to delay or block a vote on a piece of legislation

In an interview with CNN, Manchin, who is a conservative in ideology, said, “She knows the filibuster is the holy grail of democracy. It's the only thing that keeps us talking and working together. If she gets rid of that, then this would be the House on steroids.”

Manchin said he would not endorse Harris as he was of the view that the elimination of filibusters would destroy the country. “My country is more important for me than any one person or any one person’s ideology,” he said.

Benzinga has reached out to the senator’s press team and Harris’ campaign for clarification and will update the story on receipt of a response from them.

See Also: Joe Manchin Expresses Disappointment In Congress’ Inaction Over Nation’s Rising $35 Trillion Debt: ‘It’s A Shame … No One Cares About It’

Why It’s Important: An earlier attempt by Biden in 2022 to restore abortion as a constitutional right by making an exception to the filibuster fell through due to a lack of support from Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.).

The Senate has already dropped the 60-vote threshold for confirming judicial and executive branch nominees.

Manchin is set to retire after his current term. Although an independent, he continues to caucus with Democrats. He had previously expressed his willingness to endorse Harris contingent on her stance on filibustering aligns with his.

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