Do we like them?

Do we like Joe Manchin?

Our score: 4 out of 10. A string of votes that cut against LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, set against a landmark climate law and a record of crossing the aisle.

Manchin spent years as the Democrat who could sink his own side's agenda, first as West Virginia governor and then as a senator until January 2025. In 2024 he left the party, and in 2025 he put out a memoir, Dead Center, defending his decisions and saying it's time for “an American independent party”.

The Equality Act is the one that stings. In 2021 he said he would not back it as written, the only Democrat to say so, arguing it left schools without enough guidance on protections for trans students. Advocacy outlets say that left the bill short of the votes it needed, and he faced heavy pressure from LGBTQ+ groups over it.

Then there's Build Back Better. In December 2021 he announced on Fox News he wouldn't vote for the bill, which killed its expanded child tax credit payments for families. He says he has always backed child tax credits and objected to the price tag, while critics say he blocked help for kids.

We found nothing new on him lately beyond the memoir tour and his commentary from outside the Senate. His record is mixed and we couldn't confirm much else, so treat the verdict as a close call rather than a final word.