Tough Tuesday: Manchin suffers two major blows to his power
by Cami Mondeaux, Breaking News Reporter |
December 07, 2022 07:49 AM
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) suffered setbacks on Tuesday night, losing a major policy bill that was set to be included in the annual defense legislation, as well as watching his outsize influence over the party wither away after Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) won reelection in Georgia.
Over the last two years, Manchin has acted as somewhat of a gatekeeper within his party, often using his vote to negotiate and boost his own priorities in exchange for support on a Democratic bill. This strategy has routinely worked for the West Virginia senator as Democrats couldn’t afford to lose his vote in the 50-50 Senate, often resulting in drawn-out negotiations or compromises in order to pass legislation.
However, with Warnock’s win on Tuesday, Democrats hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate, meaning Manchin’s vote no longer holds the same weight as it has over the last two years.
Manchin may have gotten his first taste of what this average rank-and-file status will be like after his long sought-after permitting bill was excluded from the National Defense Authorization Act, likely killing the legislation unless lawmakers revive it in the next Congress.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate/manchin-suffers-two-major-setbacks-to-his-power
