Outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin (IW.V.) focused on unity in an emotional farewell address to his Senate colleagues, marking his final floor address in his 14-year term without seeking reelection this term. It became.
“My friends and colleagues, I stand today with a deep sense of gratitude. It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent West Virginia in this great country,” Manchin said Tuesday. Tuesday's final greetings began. . “As my term here comes to an end, I want you to know that my belief in this institution and the potential of each of you who represent it remains as strong as ever. .”
In his speech, Manchin called on his colleagues to put aside their differences and work together to bridge political differences.
The senator said he initially had “no plans to serve in the Senate,” but “saw an opportunity to serve more people and take on bigger challenges.”
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U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (DW.V.) speaks at the Detroit Economic Club meeting at Masonic in Detroit, Michigan on February 26, 2024. (Jeff Kowalski)
Mr. Manchin focused on the theme of unity, recalling that when he first entered the Senate, he was asked to help field a Democratic candidate against a Republican, but that he would not antagonize his colleagues. I swore I wouldn't.
“It didn't take long to realize that the divisions here were pretty deep,” he says. “I'm not going to raise money to attack my friends and colleagues just because they have an 'R' in their name. If I stand against them when they're stuck in a cycle, how can we work together?” Is that so?”
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In his final speech, Manchin used the opportunity to highlight West Virginia's accomplishments, including energy, infrastructure and job gains.
Although Manchin is widely known for his memorable performance in the Senate, his career in West Virginia politics goes back decades.
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 5: Sen. Joe Manchin (IW.V.) walks with his staff along the East Front of the U.S. Capitol on June 5, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura)
Mr. Manchin served as a state representative in the early 1980s and then was elected to the state Senate until the late 1990s. Manchin was elected governor of West Virginia in 2005 after serving as secretary of state for four years.
Mr. Manchin was ultimately elected to the West Virginia Democratic Senate in 2010, his longest-serving post. The senator, known for his moderate approach and bipartisan approach to national issues, left the Democratic Party in May 2024 and registered as an independent, but continued to caucus. Democrat in the months since he left the party.
Sen. Joe Manchin, Democrat. He waves to visitors on the Senate steps as he leaves the Virginia State Capitol. (CQ-Roll Call, Inc.)
Manchin ended his speech by pleading with his colleagues to resolve inflation and the crisis at the southern border, stressing that “powerful things can happen when both sides can take baby steps to find common ground.”
“I'm not going anywhere, gang,” a tearful Manchin said as he thanked his staff and family for their support over the years.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D.N.Y.) praised Manchin's accomplishments in the Senate ahead of his farewell speech.
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“It fills me with great joy and a little sadness to be here to say a few words in his honor,” Schumer said. “So today, I would like to thank a very dear friend, one of my closest friends in the Senate, with whom we have been friendly despite our disagreements, who have remained good friends, and of course my long-time colleague, West Virginia I want to salute our state's senator, Joe Manchin.”
