West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin is courting donors for a new nonprofit founded by his daughter, Heather, in an estimated $100 million effort to promote moderate candidates and policies, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
The plan comes as Manchin’s political future remains unknown — he has yet to announce whether he will run for reelection in the solid red state or for president as a third-party candidate in 2024.
Heather Manchin registered the nonprofit Americans Together, which won’t be required to publicly disclose its donors, in July, and she and her father are pitching the expensive project in order to reduce spending, shrink debt, bolster American energy independence, strengthen border security and more, according to the WSJ.
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“What we both very much agree on is the system is very broken and actually in deep trouble,” Heather Manchin told the WSJ. “We have been thinking about what can be done to bring people together.”
Heather Manchin, the former CEO of pharmaceutical company Mylan, told the WSJ that she hopes the nonprofit can provide “the politically homeless a voice,” as both Republicans and Democrats currently represent the most extreme ends of their respective parties. She maintained that the project is not affiliated with her father’s future political aspirations.
A minimum of $100 million is required “to change the national narrative and garner support for those willing to prioritize policy and country over party and politics,” the memo sent to potential donors reads, according to the WSJ.
Billionaire Ken Langone, co-founder of Home Depot, is one of the donors Manchin and his daughter are courting, according to the WSJ. Langone spoke with the senator about the project and told the WSJ it already has his support.
“The overriding theme of what they’re trying to do is get a little bit, give a little bit, come together. He’s a worthy public servant. He has a wholesome message. It’s apple pie to me,” said Langone.
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Manchin recently admitted that he’s “thinking seriously” about leaving the Democratic Party to become an independent. If he runs for reelection, he will likely face a tough Republican challenger in Gov. Jim Justice or Rep. Alex Mooney, with polling indicating he’d lose to both.
Democrats are increasingly concerned that Manchin’s potential third-party run for the centrist organization No Labels could hand the White House and the Senate over to the Republicans, as they believe such a ticket would siphon off more votes from President Joe Biden than the GOP nominee. No Labels has suggested that it will only run a “unity ticket” in 2024 if former President Donald Trump secures the Republican nomination next year.
Manchin did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment, and Heather Manchin could not be reached.
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