After Grueling Election Loss, Democratic Party’s Approval Reaches New Lows
'Democrats are in the wilderness'
Dems in disarray over retiring Sens. Manchin, Sinema bucking party-line votes
Several Democratic senators have expressed disapproval as retiring Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona cast their final votes.
Manchin and Sinema, who were previously registered as Democrats before changing their affiliation to independent, have made a habit of breaking from their former party's voting patterns.
Most recently, Sinema and Manchin voted to block President Joe Biden's nominee, Lauren McFerran, from serving another term on the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday, handing Senate Republicans another incremental victory. In response, several Democrats called the pair's votes "pathetic" and "disappointing."
This is not the first time Manchin and Sinema have butted heads with the Democratic Party.
"There's a tradition of having a balance on that board, and it's important, so it's disappointing they weren't able to get that done," Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota said.
"Millions of working people across the country will pay the price for their actions," Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said.
Like Sinema and Manchin, independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont stepped away from the Democratic Party and changed his affiliation. Sanders' disapproval of the pair's "no" votes was kept short and sweet.
"Pathetic," Sanders said.
This is not the first time Sinema and Manchin have butted heads with the Democratic Party.
Although she voted with Biden most of the time, Sinema sided with the president less than her Democratic colleagues have. For example, Sinema eventually supported the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 after months of haggling and hesitating to support what has become one of Biden's most consequential pieces of legislation.
Manchin has also clashed with his former party, boasting the most conservative voting record of any Democrat or independent in the Senate this term. Manchin notably bucked Biden's Build Back Better legislation in 2021 and has consistently thwarted filibuster reform Democrats have put forward.
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West Virginia Senate seat flips red as Joe Machin retires
Republican Gov. Jim Justice of West Virginia defeated Democratic challenger Glenn Elliott Tuesday in the race to replace retiring Democratic turned independent U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin.
Although the seat was previously held by a Democrat, Republicans easily flipped the seat red, giving the GOP an edge to regain the Senate majority.
Manchin first won the seat as a Democrat in 2010 and has served in the Senate ever since. Manchin later switched his party affiliation from Democrat to independent in May of this year.
"I have never seen America through a partisan lens," Manchin said in a statement. "However, since becoming a United States Senator in 2010, I have seen both the Democrat and Republican parties leave West Virginia and our country behind for partisan extremism while jeopardizing our democracy.
"Today, our national politics are broken, and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground," Manchin continued. "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.
Although Justice's predecessor was previously a Democrat, West Virginia was projected to be an overwhelming win for Republicans leading up to the election.
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6 Senate seats Republicans can flip to take back the majority
Less than a week from Election Day, six crucial Senate seats remain within striking distance for Republicans.
Republicans are currently in the minority, holding 49 seats, while Democrats and Independents combined hold the remaining 51 seats. While Republicans would have to flip only two seats to win back the majority, there are several pickup opportunities for the GOP.
Despite his previous double-digit wins, Casey's polling advantage has plummeted to just a few points, which is a good sign for his Republican challenger.
The two most likely seats Republicans are looking to secure are in Montana and West Virginia. West Virginia's Senate seat is an open race between Republican Gov. Jim Justice and Democratic candidate Glenn Elliott. The candidates are running to replace Independent Sen. Joe Manchin after he announced his retirement in November 2023.
Cook Political Report has rated the Senate race in West Virginia as "solid Republican," which is reflected in the massive polling advantage Justice boasts over Elliott. In addition to the Mountain State, Republicans are enjoying some rosy poll numbers farther west.
In Montana, Republican candidate Tim Sheehy has pulled Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, who has previously won his seat by narrow margins. Recent polls put the three-term Democratic Senator at a substantial polling deficit, and Cook Political Report rated the seat "lean Republican."
Although the race is closer than the one in West Virginia, the tide has turned in Sheehy's favor, and Tester is taking notice. Tester's campaign has repeatedly labeled him "bipartisan" and has even held off from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, making him the only Democratic Senator to do so. Tester's decision to distance himself from his party is reflective of Sheehy's momentum in the red state.
While winning Montana and West Virginia would be enough for Republicans to flip the Senate, there are four more seats rated "toss-ups" that the GOP could secure.
In Michigan, Republican candidate Mike Rogers and Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin are going head-to-head in the race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Although Slotkin initially had a several point polling advantage, Rogers has narrowed her lead and even surpassed the Democrat in some polls.
Another key race Republicans have managed to tighten is in Ohio, where Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown is battling GOP candidate Bernie Moreno. Although Brown has won all three of his terms by a substantial margin, Moreno has chipped away and even pulled ahead of the incumbent's increasingly narrow polling advantage.
In Pennsylvania, Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey is facing a similar challenge from Republican candidate Dave McCormick. Casey first won in 2006 by a significant margin and easily held onto his seat for two more terms. Despite his previous double-digit wins, Casey's polling advantage has plummeted to just a few points, which is a good sign for his Republican challenger.
Further east in Wisconsin, Republican candidate Eric Hovde has gained ground against Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Like other races along the Rust Belt, Baldwin's initial polling advantage has rapidly diminished as Election Day approaches. Although the race remains tight, Republicans remain optimistic.
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