POLITICO Dispatch July 26 Biden announced a settlement more than a month earlier. Why is it taking senators so long to reach an agreement on an infrastructure bill Arkansas' governor also stated that vaccine hesitancy in Arkansas is increasing. Franch is closer to approval of a vaccine passport.If you get the right candidate, you can have a national movement which basically shows that balance works, bipartisanship works, and the country is moving in the right direction. It's up to you to be a hard worker.Manchin stated that 2018 was his last campaign for Senate. That I am certain of that. But, so much has happened to make the Senate a more welcoming place for the most conservative Democrat in this chamber.Manchin, a fiscally conservative, anti-abortionist, and moderate, could not have imagined that three years ago he would find himself with veto power over the Democrats agenda and governing alongside President Joe Biden. Biden is a revered figure in the party's centrist wings. The voluble West Virginian, who was a swing vote and a force to be reckoned with, has managed to steer Democrats away from rushing through a progressive agenda and demanding bipartisanship on infrastructure, voting rights, and other issues.He has refused to let the majority party abolish the filibuster in order to give the majority party the opportunity to bypass the minority. This is partly due to Manchin's new memory of six years as a minority member, four of them under President Donald Trump. Although he has flirted with the idea of running for his former job as governor, he now finds his position in the Senate more powerful than he could have imagined.Joe Manchin, West Virginia Democratic Senator, on the campaign trail | @JoeManchinWV/TwitterI'm not surprised that he keeps all his options open in 2024, stated Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R.W.Va.), who compared their relationship to a brother/sister. He is a competitor. He is passionate about politics.Governors often find it difficult to transition from the governorship to the Senate. As a former governor, I can attest to this. Joes are in the mix at this point, said Senator Mark Warner (D.Va.), who is a centrist friend. Although I have not asked him about his plans, he clearly is fundraising.Warner said that it was suddenly easier for someone like Manchin who doesn't care about fundraising to raise funds. Manchin's attendance at a Texas fundraiser earlier in the month, which included some Republicans raised eyebrows among his coworkers.A Senate GOP has provided subtle support to Manchin and Senator Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat running for reelection in Arizona, and lavished praise on them for defending filibuster. Once the two are up for reelection, that praise will probably end.Manchin is the right guy if you want to give money to a candidate who can decide how Washington will be run.I don't know anyone who would like to get involved in fundraising. I'm not involved in this. Manchin stated that he goes where they direct me, referring to his fundraising pitch. I beg all those I meet to speak to their Republican donors, however they may be, and tell them that we must get back to the middle.He took the unusual step of supporting two moderate Republicans for reelection, Sen. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska in 2022 and Senator Susan Collins last year. Collins and Murkowski said that they would return the favor by supporting Manchin in 2024.He never stated to me that this would his last term. He seems to enjoy the critical, important role that he plays. Collins stated that he would not be surprised to receive an additional term.It is possible but not likely that Manchin will continue to be the Senate's dominant figure for the next three years. This depends on how the Senate balances after the midterms. Even though he acknowledges that, even if Democrats had a larger majority than him, they might not be able force bipartisan negotiations with a party that is otherwise comfortable doing it all alone.Manchin spoke of the Senate's current dynamic, saying that it makes him more optimistic that the place can work. It's not unreasonable to believe that [Democrats] would have 52 or 53 members if they didn't. Or, 'balls to wall. Or 'balls to the wall.Manchin loves to beat Republicans at the polls, as much as he wants to work with them in the Senate. Republicans could make Manchin a full-fledged candidate if they brag about their chances in West Virginia, and claim Manchin cannot win.Jon Kott, a longtime advisor to Senator Joe Manchin, stated that the Senate is finally functioning the way he wanted it to. I'm sure he is seriously considering winning again.Marianne LeVine contributed to the report.
