Joe Manchin

Joe Manchin is an American politician serving as the senior United States Senator from West Virginia since 2010. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010 and as the state's 27th Secretary of State. Known as a moderate to conservative Democrat, he has been a pivotal figure in the closely divided United States Senate, often casting decisive votes on major legislation.

Early life and education

He was born in Fairmont, West Virginia, to Mary Ann and John Manchin, who owned a carpet and furniture store. He attended Fairmont Senior High School where he was a standout quarterback, leading his team to a state championship. He earned a football scholarship to West Virginia University, graduating in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. During his college years, he founded a small business, Enersystems, Inc., which later became a successful coal brokerage firm.

Political career

His political career began in the West Virginia House of Delegates, where he served from 1982 to 1986. He was then elected to the West Virginia Senate, representing the 13th district from 1986 to 1996, eventually becoming Majority Leader. After an unsuccessful run for Governor of West Virginia in 1996, he was elected Secretary of State of West Virginia in 2000. He won the governorship in 2004 and was re-elected in 2008, focusing on economic development and responding to the Sago Mine disaster. Following the death of Senator Robert Byrd in 2010, he was appointed to the United States Senate and later won a special election to complete the term. He was re-elected in 2012 and 2018, serving on influential committees including the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Political positions

He is known for a centrist voting record, often breaking with his party on key issues. On energy and environment, he is a strong advocate for the coal industry and has opposed the Green New Deal and the Clean Power Plan, while supporting carbon capture technology. He played a crucial role in negotiating and ultimately opposing the Build Back Better Act, citing concerns over inflation, and later helped craft the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. On social issues, he is anti-abortion and voted to confirm conservative justices to the Supreme Court of the United States, including Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. He supports gun rights and was a co-sponsor of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. He has been a key vote on filibuster rules and judicial nominations.

Electoral history

In the 2004 West Virginia gubernatorial election, he defeated Republican candidate Monty Warner. He won re-election in the 2008 West Virginia gubernatorial election against Russ Weeks. He won the 2010 United States Senate special election in West Virginia against John Raese to fill the seat of the late Robert Byrd. He defeated Raese again in the 2012 United States Senate election in West Virginia. In the 2018 United States Senate election in West Virginia, he defeated Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. In November 2023, he announced he would not seek re-election to the United States Senate in 2024.

Personal life

He married Gayle Conelly in 1967; they have three children: Heather Bresch, a former CEO of Mylan, Joseph Manchin IV, and Brooke Manchin. His family has been involved in West Virginia business and politics for generations. He is an avid motorcyclist and hunter, and he and his wife reside in Fairmont, West Virginia. He is a Roman Catholic and a member of the National Rifle Association.

Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:United States senators from West Virginia Category:Governors of West Virginia