Former independent Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia blamed the Democratic Party's internal divisions for a widening 'void of leadership,' pointing to recent primary victories by democratic socialist candidates in states like New York and Colorado. In a Sunday radio interview on John Catsimatidis's 'Cats Roundtable,' Manchin argued that the party's failure to unify behind a clear leader has opened the door for a wave of progressive insurgents.
'When there's a void of leadership, you see what happens,' Manchin said. 'They don't know who the leader is, and you've got all of these young, aggressive people who are excited. They're involved. They associate themselves with the socialist party.'
Manchin, who left the Democratic Party in 2024 to register as an independent, suggested that these candidates should form a separate political party aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) rather than continuing to challenge mainstream Democrats from within. He argued that both major parties are now dominated by 'aggressive zealots on the extremes,' a dynamic he said is the result of decades of neglect.
'The two main parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, are now reaping what they sowed, which is total control basically by aggressive zealots on the extremes,' Manchin said. He also criticized the national Democratic Party for what he sees as misplaced priorities, claiming it 'spends more time and effort and resources on able-bodied, capable people that don't work and won't work than those of us who do.'
Manchin's comments come amid a broader debate over the rise of democratic socialist candidates, including Milat Kiros's primary upset of long-serving Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette. GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado warned that Democrats are 'taking out their own' as the party's left flank gains strength. 'Milat is not lying. She wants socialism. She wants more of it, a lot of it, and she's very proud to say it,' Boebert told NewsNation. 'And so now the pretend-to-be-normal Democrats that people like myself and Gabe Evans in Colorado are running against, well, this is their party.'
Independent commentator Stephen A. Smith has also raised concerns that the socialist surge could hurt Democrats in the general election. 'You can beat Trump. You can beat any of his successors. But in order to do so, you're going to have to come together as a party under one umbrella,' Smith said, adding that Democrats 'can't be at the mercy of those on the extreme left.' He argued that 'socialism, I don't believe, will work in a general election,' and urged the party to move closer to the center.
Recent polling suggests that while only 29% of U.S. voters are open to democratic socialist candidates, the movement's energy is concentrated among younger and more educated voters. As the DSA-backed candidates continue to notch wins in primaries, the question of whether they can compete in November remains a key flashpoint for the party. Some analysts see the trend as a hunger for fighters rather than establishment figures, but others warn it could alienate swing voters.
Manchin's critique echoes a broader frustration among centrists who fear the party is drifting too far left. His call for a separate socialist party is unlikely to gain traction, but it underscores the deep fissures within the Democratic coalition as the 2026 midterms approach.
