Joe Manchin says two-party system has ‘choked out’ independents
Former West virginia Senator Joe Manchin criticized the U.S. two-party system for limiting meaningful depiction for independents. He argued that both Republicans and Democrats have created a political structure that discourages competition and favors ideological extremes, making it tough for independent candidates to get on ballots and compete effectively. Manchin highlighted that most elections are heavily predetermined, with only a few battleground states deciding outcomes, leading to a lack of real competition. He also expressed concern about the increasing polarization within parties,with influences like MAGA on the right and DSA on the left overshadowing moderates. To address this, Manchin and his daughter, Heather Manchin, are launching the Independent Leadership Council to support independent candidates and promote political independence in Congress. He envisions independents as potential pivotal votes that could force both major parties to negotiate and work across party lines.
Former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin argued that America’s two-party system has left independent voters without meaningful representation, saying Republicans and Democrats have built a political structure that discourages competition and rewards ideological extremes.
“If you’re an independent, try to get on the ballot,” Manchin said on CBS News’s Face the Nation Sunday. “They make you jump through every hoop in the world, go out and get thousands of signatures. If you’re a Democrat or Republican, you pay a fee, just go on the ballot.”
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Manchin criticized the Democratic and Republican parties for maintaining tight control over ballot access and the nomination process, arguing that the system makes it far more difficult for independent candidates to compete.
“In the last presidential election, it came down to seven battleground states. That means 43 were predetermined; of 435 congressional seats, 395 are predetermined. There’s no competition whatsoever in the system,” he said.
Manchin also warned that both the Democratic and Republican parties are increasingly being driven by their ideological wings, saying, “MAGA is taking over the Republican Party, and now you have the DSA that seems to be having a lot of energy on the Democrat side. What happened to the people that lived their lives in the middle, that make decisions, that make things work in America.”
The former Democrat-turned-independent is teaming up with his daughter, Heather Manchin, to launch the Independent Leadership Council, a new effort aimed at backing and electing independent candidates. The initiative merges her Americans Together organization with the Independent Center, a nonprofit focused on researching and engaging independent voters.
Bresch echoed her father’s concerns, arguing that lawmakers have lost the political independence needed to negotiate across party lines. “The parties have literally sucked out any independent thinking. Can we get someone elected outside the two-party system and go to Congress and stay independent?” she said.
JOE MANCHIN IS LAUNCHING A NEW INDEPENDENT NETWORK
Manchin’s remarks build on a message he has championed since leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an independent in 2024.
Manchin argued that truly independent lawmakers could become pivotal votes in a closely divided Congress, forcing both the Democratic and Republican parties to negotiate rather than rely on strict party-line voting.
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