January 1, GOP Senator Texted Manchin About Joining Republican Party

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said he reached out to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.VA.) to encourage him to join the GOP amid backlash over his opposition to President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislation.

Cornyn told the Austin-based TV station KXAN that he texted Manchin, “Joe if they don’t want you we do,” but hadn’t heard back.

“I don’t know what he will decide to do. But I do know West Virginia has gotten increasingly red. … So, yeah, we’d love to have him. That would change the majority,” Cornyn added.

Currently, the Senate is evenly split but the Democrats hold the majority because Vice President Kamala Harris can break a tie. If Manchin defected to the GOP, that would give the Republicans a 51-49 majority, making Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) the majority leader.

However, in October, Manchin said he had no plans to leave the Democratic Party. He said if it’s “embarrassing” to the Democrats to have a moderate member, he would become an Independent “like Bernie” and still formally caucus with the Democrats.

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Texas Sen. Cornyn joins Republicans recruiting Joe Manchin to GOP