Live After Quit

“Manchin On the Move? Could He Be the Wild Card Who Dooms Trump’s Re-Election?

Will Manchin Be a Spoiler If He Decides to Run for President? As the 2020 United States presidential election quickly approaches, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin has thrown his name into the conversation as a potential candidate. While some Democrats view Manchin as a viable alternative to progressive firebrand Bernie Sanders and a proven centrist moderate, others view his entrance into the race as a potential spoiler — and a gift to Donald Trump in the upcoming election. Manchin, a long-serving senator for the coal-heavy West Virginia, is known as a wild card among Democrats. His finger on the pulse of the common man has made him popular in his home state, but still, his centrist leanings are anathema to the far left of the Democratic Party. Manchin has even made headlines opposing progressive policies like the Green New Deal, Medicare For All, and decriminalizing illegal immigration. But there are signs that Manchin might just be the man the Democrats are looking for to challenge Trump. His career record is free of any personal scandals, which could help win over voters. His moderate stance could very well win back some of the independent voters who abandoned the Democratic Party in 2016. And his gun control proposal has won him favor with Democrat-leaning voters. But for many progressive Democrats, Manchin’s entrance into the race is seen not as an opportunity, but as a threat. Manchin could split the centrist and progressive vote, allowing Trump to win the election without a mandate, and possibly set the Democrats back another four years. Manchin’s candidacy could also be a problem for presumptive Presidential nominee Joe Biden. Manchin’s presence serves as a constant reminder of Biden’s center-left politics, which could turn away progressive voters. This could lead to even more split between the left and right and play into Trump’s hands. So, while Manchin does have qualities that might appeal to Democratic voters, his candidacy could also be a potential spoiler to the election. Should Manchin choose to get in the race, the outcome remains unpredictable. Either Manchin could come out of nowhere and shock the voting public with a viable presidential run, or he could very well be the Trojan horse that Donald Trump needs to ensure a second term.