Former West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin announced a new campaign to help independent candidates break into a political system he says has been rigged by Republicans and Democrats to keep outsiders off the ballot and out of power.
Speaking on CBS News’s Face the Nation Sunday, Manchin argued that America’s two-party structure has left the country’s growing independent voter bloc without meaningful representation. “If you’re an independent, try to get on the ballot,” Manchin said, describing the barriers that keep third-party and independent candidates from competing on equal footing with major party nominees.
Democrats and Republicans Built the Barriers
Manchin pointed to ballot access laws, debate rules, and fundraising structures that favor the two established parties. Those mechanisms, he said, have created a political marketplace where only the most ideologically extreme candidates thrive, while moderates and independents struggle to gain a foothold.
The former senator, who left the Democratic Party last year to register as an independent, has firsthand experience with the challenges facing candidates outside the two-party framework. His new initiative aims to provide financial and organizational support to independent candidates willing to challenge the duopoly.
What Comes Next for Independent Voters
Manchin’s effort comes as polling shows record numbers of Americans identifying as independent rather than Republican or Democrat. But that voting bloc has struggled to translate its numerical strength into electoral success, hampered by state laws that make it difficult for independent candidates to appear on ballots and by debate commissions controlled by the major parties.
The initiative will test whether dissatisfaction with both parties has reached the point where voters are willing to support candidates without the institutional backing that comes with a major party label. Manchin’s own political future remains unclear, though he has not ruled out another run for office as an independent.
For now, he’s focused on building infrastructure for other independent candidates who want to run but face the same structural barriers he’s describing. Whether those efforts can overcome the advantages baked into the current system will become clear in upcoming election cycles.
Key Points
- Manchin argues Republicans and Democrats have built barriers that keep independent candidates off ballots and out of debates
- The former West Virginia senator left the Democratic Party last year and now identifies as an independent
- His new effort will provide support to independent candidates challenging the two-party structure in upcoming elections
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/4672295/joe-manchin-two-party-system-independents-elect-more/ – August 02, 2026
