Joe Manchin Backs Republican Candidates in Key Maine and Michigan Senate Contests

Former West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, who spent years in the national spotlight as a moderate Democrat before registering as an independent, announced on Monday that he is backing two Republican candidates in critical Senate battleground races this November.

The political endorsements come as both major parties fight for control of the upper chamber of Congress. With the balance of power in Washington on the line, contests in battleground states like Maine and Michigan are widely viewed as essential to determining whether the Republican Party will manage to retain its Senate majority.

Manchin made his views known during an appearance on CNBC on Monday, using the national broadcast to weigh in on the high-stakes races. He specifically voiced support for longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who is campaigning for reelection, and former Representative Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee seeking to win an open Senate seat in Michigan.

Speaking about Collins, Manchin offered an impassioned defense of her tenure and her approach to legislating in a divided Capitol. He warned that the loss of centrist, bridge-building lawmakers would fundamentally harm the character and functioning of the United States Senate as an institution.

"You lose the Susan Collinses of the Senate, you're losing the soul of the Senate — basically, a person you can talk to, who wants to do the right thing all of the time," Manchin said during the interview. To demonstrate the strength of his backing, the former senator stated that he is prepared to travel to Maine to campaign alongside Collins ahead of the election.

Collins moved quickly to highlight Manchin's endorsement, sharing his statements across social media platforms and issuing a formal news release. She stated that she was honored to receive his public backing as she navigates what is expected to be a competitive race.

In her response, Collins described Manchin as a dear friend and a trusted former colleague. She emphasized that the two had worked closely together over many years in Washington to solve problems and secure tangible results for the residents of Maine as well as the country as a whole.

The reelection campaign in Maine marks Collins' bid for a sixth term in the Senate. Her Democratic opponent is Troy Jackson, the former state Senate president who stepped in to run after replacing Graham Platner on the general election ballot. Collins faces the challenge of defending her seat in a state where voters have voted against former President Donald Trump in three consecutive presidential elections.

Manchin's willingness to support Collins across party lines is not unprecedented. During his tenure as a Democratic senator, Manchin also broke ranks with his party to endorse and support Collins during her previous reelection bid.

In Michigan's open-seat race, Manchin addressed the contest between Rogers and the Democratic nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, an outspoken progressive candidate. While Manchin stated that he had not made any formal endorsements in the race, he made his preference clear when asked by the show's host to evaluate the two candidates.

Manchin referred to Rogers as a personal friend and spoke favorably of his qualifications to serve in the Senate. "I do support Mike Rogers," Manchin stated during the broadcast. "I think Mike Rogers is a good person. I think he'll do a great job."

At the same time, Manchin offered a direct political assessment of what Rogers must do to prevail in the crucial swing state. Manchin asserted that Rogers has to actively denounce Donald Trump's trade policies if he wants to win the election, pointing out that the Republican candidate has not yet taken that step and concluding, "We'll have to see."

During the television interview, Manchin grouped Collins and Rogers alongside Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who is not up for reelection until 2028. He praised all three figures as independent and free-thinking Republicans who refuse to align themselves with ideological extremes on either the far right or the far left.

Manchin's endorsements reflect his long-standing posture as a vocal critic of polarization and partisan extremism in both major parties. After representing West Virginia in the Senate from 2010 to 2025, Manchin formally left the Democratic Party during his final months in office, arguing publicly that the party's brand had become toxic.

Despite stepping down from the Senate, Manchin has continued to remain active in national political affairs. In July, he launched a nationwide initiative aimed at recruiting, promoting, and electing independent candidates to political office across the country.

The races in both Maine and Michigan are expected to remain tightly contested right up to Election Day. According to CNN polling data released the prior Wednesday, both Senate contests remain extremely close, with no clear frontrunner emerging among likely voters in either state.