Manchin, Joseph, III (1947-…), became a United States senator in 2010. Manchin represents West Virginia. A conservative Democrat for most of his career, Manchin became an independent in 2024. Prior to his election to the Senate, Manchin served as West Virginia’s governor.
Joseph Manchin III, commonly called Joe, was born in Farmington, West Virginia, on Aug. 24, 1947. His family ran a grocery store and a carpet and furniture store. He attended West Virginia University on a football scholarship. He received a business degree in 1970. Following graduation, Manchin returned to his family’s business and ran a carpet store.
In 1982, Manchin won election to the West Virginia House of Delegates. In 1986, he was elected to the state Senate. He served there until 1996, when he lost a Democratic primary election for governor. In 2000, Manchin was elected West Virginia secretary of state. He won election as governor in 2004 and was reelected in 2008.
In November 2010, Manchin won an election to serve out the final years of the term of U.S. senator Robert C. Byrd, who died in June 2010. Manchin had earlier appointed Democrat Carte Goodwin to the Senate seat as Byrd’s temporary replacement. In 2012, Manchin won election to a full six-year Senate term. He was reelected in 2018. As a senator, Manchin gained a reputation as a centrist whose votes were courted by both Democrats and Republicans. In November 2023, he announced that he would not seek reelection in 2024. In May 2024, Manchin officially left the Democratic Party and registered as an independent.
