Joe Manchin Rejects Socialist Support Before Midterm Elections

Former West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin made clear his stance against supporting socialist candidates ahead of the midterm elections during an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” He firmly stated, “No way,” to the notion of backing socialists, emphasizing his opposition despite potential good ideas, “My God, no.”

Manchin was pressed by host Margaret Brennan on whether the presence of good ideas could sway his support. He responded, “I support the good ideas,” but questioned, “How could you support some of the crazy stuff they’re for?”

They want to dismantle everything we know, whether it be the structure of government, Congress itself, or the Senate. Then they talk about all the crazy things—no police, no this, no that. Are you crazy?

Manchin continued, “We want a crime-free area. We have to have police for that. We want a strong defense, we want a strong border.” He also warned that if Democrats align with socialist demands, especially concerning energy, “there’ll be no energy.” He noted that the world’s current dependency on U.S. energy might be threatened.

Heather Manchin, his daughter, voiced her concern alongside him about Democratic leadership failing to reject far-left candidates and socialists. She remarked, “Control has now completely outweighed character,” lamenting the focus on vote counts over personal integrity and platforms.

Despite requests, the Democratic Socialists of America did not immediately provide a comment on the matter.

Recent polls from Fox News indicate that Democrats view socialism more favorably compared to capitalism. Manchin’s comments arose following successes of openly socialist candidates in Democratic primary elections, with figures like NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani gaining limelight.

A July Fox News poll found 52% of Democrats favoring socialism, surpassing those who prefer capitalism. Among registered voters, favorable views of socialism grew to 30%, up from last year’s 27%.

Lindsay Kornick, associate editor for Fox News Digital, contributed to this report. For story tips, contact her at [email protected] or on Twitter: @lmkornick.