Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that they would welcome Sen. Joe Mauchin (D-WV) as he has been thinking about leaving the Democratic Party.
Senator Mauchin rejected the Build Back Better agenda proposed by President Joe Biden and has faced immense criticism from the White House. Mauchin said that the plan is not consistent with his values to bring the country back to a positive state. McConnell said that if he were to join the GOP, he will find “a lot of folks who have similar views on a whole range of issues.”
The White House aggressively attacked Joe Manchin for disagreeing with the president’s plans. McConnell said that he usually takes time to speak with party members that are not on the same page and find an amicable compromise when faced with similar situations. Manchin was instead shown anger and a complete lack of understanding by the president.
Manchin is also the current Energy Chairman for the Senate. McConnell said he would speak with Manchin if he decides to flip to the GOP and he may retain his place as Chair.