In a move that is nothing but symbolic, moderate Democrat Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has agreed to vote with all his fellow Senate Democrats to move ahead and debate the controversial Democrat-sponsored elections reform bill.
The Hill reports that Manchin said Tuesday that he will vote in favor of advancing a sweeping election bill, after striking a deal with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on a compromise proposal.
“We worked it out,” Schumer told reporters.
In exchange for voting “yes” on Tuesday, Schumer said that if Democrats are able to advance to floor debate on the bill — something they won’t be able to do because of across-the-board Republican opposition — he will give Manchin a vote on his proposal as an amendment.
“Over the past month, I have worked to eliminate the far reaching provisions of S.1, the For the People Act – which I do not support. I’ve found common ground with my Democratic colleagues on a new version of the bill that ensures our elections are fair, accessible and secure,” Manchin said in a statement.
“Today I will vote ‘YES’ to move to debate this updated voting legislation as a substitute amendment to ensure every eligible voter is able to cast their ballot and participate in our great democracy,” he added.
Under the deal, Manchin will provide the 50th Democratic vote on advancing the For the People Act later Tuesday.
However, the vote – expected later Tuesday evening – is still expected to fall well short of the 60 votes required to move ahead as the GOP seems just as united to vote against the “reforms”.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said Democrats had long been pushing the measure in a bid to take over the administration of elections from states and potentially tilt outcomes in their favor.
“It’s always been a plan to rewrite the ground rules of American politics,” he said.
As a reminder, here is what Manchin wrote earlier in the month in an oped:
“I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For The People Act,” adding that, “The truth, I would argue, is that voting and election reform that is done in a partisan manner will all but ensure partisan divisions continue to deepen,” he wrote.
It seem Schumer had enough ‘muck’ on Manchin to get him to break from these principles after all…
