Manchin is very popular with the folks in West Virginia. Those are the people who Manchin must answer to. No one else in the other 49 states.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/sen-joe-manchins-west-virginia-200515120.html

Manchin is my type of Democrat as were Zell Miller, former governor and senator and Sam Nunn, long time senator back in the day. I’m not all that happy with either Ossoff nor Warnock. I wasn’t happy with Perdue or Loeffler either. Manchin in a way reminds me of Biden when he was a senator. But Manchin has a lot more balls.

I hate the word centrist. That implies someone always in the middle. I found that out to be not true for most of them who don’t identify or affiliate with the two major parties. I’ve found most of them will support the Democratic position on some issues, support the Republicans on other issues and are indifferent on a good many more issues. But they can become hot and bothered on an issue important to them. The thing is they don’t pass the litmus tests required to be members of either major party. This you must march lockstep with one or the other party is anathema to them.

I like to see someone buck their party from time to time. Hence Manchin, Sinema, Romney, Cheney etc. get a lot of respect from me. Much more than someone who constantly says, Yes Sir, Yes Sir, three bags full Sir, how high do you want me to jump and follows the dictates of party leaders to the hilt. There are my two present senators and the two who preceded them.

It's high past time that we start electing Americans to congress and the presidency who put America first instead of their political party. For way too long we have been electing Republicans and Democrats who happen to be Americans instead of Americans who happen to be Republicans and Democrats.