Outgoing West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has once again found himself at odds with Vice President Kamala Harris over the divisive issue of the Senate filibuster, and has refused to endorse her.
On Tuesday, September 24, 2024, Manchin condemned Harris’ push to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster rule to pass federal legislation protecting abortion rights. Harris, who has been vocal in her support for ending the filibuster, believes the rule stands in the way of key legislative progress.
Manchin, who recently registered as an independent, was blunt in criticizing Harris’ stance. “Shame on her,” he told the media. “She knows the filibuster is the Holy Grail of democracy. It’s the only thing that keeps us talking and working together. If she gets rid of that, then this would be the House on steroids.”
The filibuster has long been a point of contention within the Democratic Party, particularly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, leaving abortion rights up to individual states. Harris has argued that eliminating the filibuster would allow Democrats to pass legislation codifying abortion rights at the federal level. She reiterated her stance in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio, stating, “I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe, to actually put back in law the protections for reproductive freedom.”
While Harris has held firm on her stance, both Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, an independent senator from Arizona, have been strong advocates for preserving the filibuster. Sinema has criticized Harris’ proposal, describing it as a terrible idea and cautioning that removing the filibuster could lead to unforeseen consequences. She emphasized that eliminating the filibuster to codify Roe v. Wade could also allow a future Congress to implement a nationwide abortion ban, a concern she expressed on X.
This internal conflict within the Democratic Party has not gone unnoticed. Former President Donald Trump, during his tenure, advocated for an end to the filibuster, although prominent Republican lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, have defended it. Trump recently weighed in on the current debate, praising Manchin for opposing Harris’ stance and referring to her support for eliminating the filibuster as a “DEATH WISH for the Filibuster and the Rule of Law.”
President Joe Biden has supported the idea of removing the filibuster to advance protections for abortion and voting rights, particularly following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade. However, despite the efforts of both Biden and Harris, progress has been challenging due to the lack of full agreement within the Democratic Party. Senators Manchin and Sinema have consistently resisted changes to the filibuster, especially when Democrats attempted to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in early 2022.
The ongoing debate over the filibuster highlights the broader challenges the Democratic Party faces in advancing its legislative agenda. With the 2024 elections fast approaching, the party struggles with internal divisions and the difficult task of holding onto its slim majority in the Senate. Should Democrats lose control of the chamber, efforts to codify abortion rights and other key issues would face even greater obstacles.
Manchin’s refusal to endorse Harris is the latest example of how deeply the issue has divided the party. The West Virginia senator has positioned himself as a moderate voice, often opposing more progressive policies advocated by Harris and other Democratic leaders. As Manchin approaches his retirement at the end of the year, his legacy as a defender of the filibuster will likely be a significant part of his political identity.