WASHINGTON — Democrat Joe Manchin insists he’ll win if he runs for reelection. That “if” is one of the biggest uncertainties in U.S. politics, one that could determine Senate control and the role of centrists in an increasingly polarized country.
The 75-year-old Democrat, whose political career in Republican-trending West Virginia spans 40 years, has repeatedly won over voters in a state Donald Trump carried by 39 points in 2020. Before a possible run, Manchin has been bucking President Joe Biden, particularly on fossil fuel production, which is key in his coal-producing state.
Since Friday, he’s announced opposition to three Biden nominees, including Daniel Werfel to lead the Internal Revenue Service. Manchin on Wednesday signaled he’s using Werfel’s nomination as a stick to beat back the Treasury Department’s implementation of an electric vehicle tax credit he helped write.
