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Who is Senator Joe Manchin?
Before he was elected senator, he held a number of different positions
SUCCEEDING Carte Goodwin as West Virginia's senator is Joe Manchin, who was reelected twice in his home state.
In November 2023, Manchin announced he would not seek a third term, though his decision to change political parties in May 2024 leaves his political future in flux.
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Who is Senator Joe Manchin?
Born on August 24, 1947, Joe Manchin is an American politician and businessman.
Hailing from West Virginia, Manchin graduated from Farmington High School in 1965.
He received a scholarship to college for football but injured himself during practice, ending his athletic career.
In 1970, Manchin earned his Bachelor's degree in business administration from West Virginia University.
Before he became a full-time politician, Manchin founded the coal brokerage Enersystems in 1988.
Upon his election as West Virginia Secretary of State in 2000, he passed the company down to his son.
In 2003, Manchin was elected Governor of West Virginia, where he served for six years.
According to his website, Manchin "has always been committed to his philosophy of 'retail government' - in other words, connecting with all of his constituents and making service to them his top priority."
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When did Joe Manchin become a senator?
In 2010, former West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd passed away, leading many to wonder if Manchin would attempt to take his seat.
Manchin announced his run for Senate in July of the same year, winning the seat with over half the votes going to him.
He ran for re-election in 2012 and again in 2018.
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Although he was a Democratic leader, Manchin is known for his support of bipartisanship legislation, voting, or working with GOP members on issues such as abortion and gun ownership.
He opposed the energy policies of former President , voted against the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, and voted to remove federal funding for Planned Parenthood in 2015.
Why isn't Manchin running for reelection?
On November 9, 2023, Senator Manchin announced he was not seeking a fourth term.
"After months of deliberation and long conversation with my family, I believe, in my heart of hearts, that I have accomplished what I set out to do for West Virginia," he shared with his social media followers.
"I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for reelection to the United States Senate.
"But what I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out, to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle, and bring Americans together."
On May 31, 2024, Manchin announced that he was leaving the Democratic party, and registering as an Independent.
“To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority,” Manchin said in a statement, as reported by .
It remains unclear whether he plans to stick to his original plan of sitting out from this year's senatorial race or if he'll seek a fourth term in office, this time as an Independent candidate.
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Who is Manchin married to?
Manchin married his wife, Gayle Connelly, on August 5, 1967.
They have three children: Heather, Joseph IV, and Brooke Manchin.
Between their kids, the Manchins have many grandchildren: Joseph V, Sophie, Kelsey, Madeline, Chloe, Jack, Carly, Vivian, Beaux, and Knox.
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Gayle Manchin is an American educator and the former First Lady of West Virginia.
She is serving as the federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission; she was nominated by President Joe Biden for the role.
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