Manchin launches effort to elect independent candidates to Congress
The group has already gathered hopefuls from 4 states as Manchin says independents could force both parties to negotiate.
- On Thursday, former West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin launched the Independent Leadership Council to recruit and support independent candidates nationwide, aiming to elect officials willing to collaborate across party lines.
- Manchin seeks to replicate his deal-making approach, driven by disillusionment with partisan extremes in both major parties. He argues closed primaries allow parties to "hijack the system," alienating independent-minded voters.
- The council is backing candidates including California Rep. Kevin Kiley, Montana Senate candidate Seth Bodnar, and Iowa House candidate Michael Bridgford, who could wield "tremendous influence" in a closely divided Congress.
- Despite record-high independent identification, these candidates face significant structural hurdles including ballot access and fundraising challenges. Manchin and Heather Manchin plan direct campaign support, organizing, and fundraising to overcome these obstacles.
- Heather Manchin, a former pharmaceutical executive, described the effort as a "pilot" to prove independent viability, believing success with even one candidate could reshape the next presidential election.
28 Articles
28 Articles
What Is Joe Manchin’s New Independent Leadership Council?
Then-Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) speaks to reporters outside the Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on June 3, 2024. —Andrew Harnik—Getty ImagesFormer West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin is embarking on a new initiative: a project called the Independent Leadership Council.The council—which the 78-year-old former senator is running with his daughter, Heather Manchin—will recruit and support independent candidates who are launching congres…
Joe Manchin Launches Effort to Boost Independents
Joe Manchin says he's done running for office—but not done trying to shake up who gets there. The 78-year-old former West Virginia senator is launching the Independent Leadership Council, an effort he and daughter Heather hope will recruit and boost independent candidates in tight races nationwide. "We're trying to...
At 78, Joe Manchin returns to politics.
Manchin launches effort to elect independent candidates to Congress
Former Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) is returning to politics by announcing a new organization aimed at recruiting and electing independent candidates to Congress. Manchin, 78, launched the Independent Leadership Council (ILC), which is focused on building support and infrastructure for candidates running outside the Democratic and Republican parties in congressional races. He'll lead the group alongside his daughter, Heather Manchin, a former phar…
Joe Manchin is launching a new independent network
Former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin is spearheading an effort to elect independent candidates through his Independent Leadership Council. The council’s stated purpose is to strategize ways to elect independent candidates in competitive elections, and comes amid a recent Gallup poll that found a record 45% of Americans identify as political independents. Manchin’s political experiment was announced Thursday in the senator’s home state. “We’r…
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