Joe Manchin Slams 'Democratic Socialists' Gaining Ground, Warns of Party Shift

Former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin has voiced concern over the growing influence of Democratic socialists within the Democratic Party, suggesting that longtime party members are remaining silent as the ideological landscape shifts.

Manchin, who registered as an independent in May 2024 after frequently breaking with his party during his Senate tenure, stated on the "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast that he has witnessed the Democratic Party move from liberal to progressive, and now towards the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

"That's why I'm an independent," Manchin said. "[Members of the Democratic Party] went from liberal to progressives to DSA. It just keeps going on that trend."

Manchin previously criticized extremism from both the left and the right when announcing his departure from the Democratic Party, stating that "both the Democrat and Republican parties [had] leave[n] West Virginia and our country behind for partisan extremism while jeopardizing our democracy." He also asserted that neither party was willing to "find common ground" or "put country before party."

During his conversation with Sean Hannity, Manchin conveyed his disbelief that many Democrats appear unwilling to challenge the increasing influence of the DSA within the party.

"That's beyond me," he said, speculating that some established Democrats might be hesitant to confront the party's more progressive wing. "The bottom line is … let's look at the elections coming up. If the House changes … if it flips over to Democrat control, a lot of the flipping is going to happen in kind of a purple area, not a hard blue area. [A] hard blue area is where they're going to maybe flip to DSA."

Manchin's remarks come amid efforts by progressive and Democratic socialist candidates to secure seats in Congress. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is noted as one such candidate who has achieved electoral success, reflecting the movement's growing presence.