Senator Joe Manchin Leaves Democratic Party

Manchin Registers as Independent

Party Declares Partisan War

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Joe Manchin III (D-WV) has announced that he has registered as an independent, a move that has been met with both surprise and criticism from his former party.

Manchin, a conservative Democrat who has often been a thorn in the side of the party's leadership, has said he will retire at the end of his current term in 2024.

In a statement released on Friday, Manchin said that he had "come to the conclusion that I can no longer be a member of the Democratic Party." He cited his "deep concerns" about the party's direction, as well as his belief that it has become too focused on partisan politics rather than finding solutions to the problems facing the country.

The Democratic Party has denounced Manchin's decision, calling it a "partisan move" that will only serve to divide the country further.