Manchin endorses Collins in Maine Senate race

Former Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), a prominent centrist who left the Democratic Party at the end of his Senate career, has endorsed Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), praising her as the “soul of the Senate.”

Manchin gave his nod to Collins over Troy Jackson, her progressive challenger who supports “Medicare for All” and dismantling Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“You lose the Susan Collinses of the Senate, you’re losing the soul of the Senate — basically, a person you can talk to, who wants to do the right thing all of the time. Now, everybody says, “Oh, she doesn’t do this, doesn’t speak up.” Susan is always in there, always in the trenches,” Manchin said Monday on CNBC.

Manchin and Collins worked closely together on an array of bipartisan initiatives, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021, a massive infrastructure bill, and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022, which established a red-flag program to counter gun violence.

“Joe is a dear friend and trusted colleague with whom I have always worked closely to solve problems and deliver results for the people of Maine and America,” Collins said in a statement.

“From helping end government shutdowns and negotiating the Electoral Count Act to delivering COVID relief and historic investments in our nation’s infrastructure, we have shown what is possible when Republicans and Democrats work together to find common ground and get things done. I am honored to have his support,” she said.

Manchin has recoiled at the idea of supporting candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America.

He told CBS’s Margaret Brennan, the host of “Face the Nation,” last month that there’s “no way” he would support a socialist candidate.

“Even if they have some good ideas?” Brennan asked.

“I’ll support the good ideas, but how could you support some of the crazy stuff they’re for? Have you seen their platform?” Manchin responded.

Jackson does not identify as a democratic socialist, but he has received the support of Democratic socialists, just as Graham Platner, whom Jackson replaced as the Democratic nominee in Maine, did before dropping his bid for Senate.

Manchin left the Democratic Party in May 2024 to register as an independent.

He frequently clashed with progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) over the size of former President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda and repeatedly warned Democratic colleagues that excessive spending would fuel inflation.