West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin announced Friday that he had left the Democratic Party and had registered as an independent, Axios reported.
Manchin cited “partisan extremism” from both Democrats and Republicans as the primary reason for his decision to register as an independent, claiming both parties had left “West Virginia and our country behind.”
“From my first day in public service in 1982, I have always focused on doing what’s best for my state and my country, without regard to party or politics. 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. It’s who I am. It’s who I will always be. I have never seen America through a partisan lens,” Manchin said in his statement, according to Fox News.
“However, since becoming a United States Senator in 2010, I have seen…
