'Do You Still Identify as a Democrat?' Manchin Dodges

It was a simple enough question. But Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin's response—or non-response—during an appearance over the weekend on Fox News is raising some eyebrows. The exchange, per Rolling Stone:

• Fox's Maria Bartiromo: "Do you still identify as a Democrat?"
• Manchin: "I identify as an American. I'm an American through and through."

Manchin's reluctance to identify as a Democrat, along with his refusal in the same interview to say whether he was running for reelection, illustrates the challenge the party will have to hang on to its thin Senate majority in the tough 2024 election calendar, writes Dustin Volz of the Wall Street Journal. Manchin, who represents red-state West Virginia, is famous for bucking his Democratic party on crucial votes. Still, if he doesn't run for re-election, Republicans stand a decent chance of picking up his seat. (More Joe Manchin stories.)