The Endorsement That Crossed Party Lines
Chapter 01 - The Endorsement That Crossed Party Lines
WASHINGTON, D.C. — September 14, 2026.
Joe Manchin had spent more than a decade representing West Virginia in the United States Senate.
For much of that time, he was a Democrat who frequently disagreed with other Democrats.
Now, with another midterm election approaching, the former senator was openly supporting a Republican.
And not just any Republican.
Susan Collins of Maine.
During an appearance on CNBC's Squawk Box, Manchin endorsed Collins for reelection, praising her willingness to work with lawmakers from both political parties.
He described her as the “soul of the Senate.”
It was a striking phrase in a political environment where Democrats and Republicans were engaged in an intense battle for control of Congress.
Manchin went further.
He said he intended to do everything he could to help Collins and discussed the possibility of campaigning alongside her in Maine.
For Collins, the endorsement provided an opportunity to emphasize her reputation for bipartisan cooperation.
For her Democratic opponent, Troy Jackson, it added a new dimension to a contest already filled with arguments about party loyalty, health care, and the future direction of Washington.
But there was a detail that made the story more complicated than the headline suggested.
Manchin was no longer a Democrat.
In 2024, after years of tensions with his former party, he registered as an independent.
He subsequently completed his Senate service in January 2025.
His endorsement therefore did not represent a sitting Democratic senator suddenly switching parties.
It represented a former Democratic senator, now independent, publicly supporting someone he had worked with for years.
And he had done it before.
Manchin also supported Collins during her 2020 reelection campaign.
Their relationship was established long before the 2026 election.
They had negotiated legislation together and participated in bipartisan groups attempting to resolve disputes that divided the Senate.
Still, the timing gave the endorsement fresh significance.
Collins was seeking a sixth term.
Jackson, a former president of the Maine Senate, was challenging her as the Democratic nominee.
The state was facing intense national attention because of the stakes for control of the United States Senate.
Republicans wanted to preserve their majority.
Democrats were attempting to gain seats.
And Maine's voters were being asked to decide whether Collins should continue representing them or whether Jackson should take her place.
Manchin's decision did not settle that question.
But it introduced a notable cross-party voice into the debate.
And there was another important detail.
Collins was not the only Republican Senate candidate Manchin said he supported.
He had also expressed support for Mike Rogers in Michigan.
What connected those endorsements was Manchin's stated concern about ideological polarization and his preference for lawmakers he considered willing to work across party lines.
That raised a question with broader implications.
Was the former senator rejecting his old party?
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Or was he applying a political approach that had defined much of his career?
To understand his decision, it was necessary to examine the working relationship that had brought him and Collins together in the first place.
