Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) has argued that the latest Republican wins in Virginia сertify his concerns over Democrats moving President Biden's reconciliation bill too quickly through Congress.
Manchin specifically pointed to GOP candidate Glenn Youngkin's victory in Virginia's gubernatorial elections on Tuesday, which he said stresses the need for the House to pass the $1 trillion bi-partisan infrastructure bill ahead of the reconciliation package.
"It's unbelievable to see what went on in Virginia and not just from the governor's race but all the way down that ticket a good bit of change has happened", Manchin said, in an apparent reference to Republican victories in the races for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.
He urged Democratic colleagues to perceive the Virginia election results as a warning and deal more carefully with the $1.75 trillion reconciliation bill.
"You can read so much into all of that last night. I think it should be a call to all of us have to be more attentive to the people back home", the Democratic senator said.
Biden Says Passage of Reconciliation Bill Could've 'Maybe' Helped McAuliffe Win
He spoke as President Joe Biden told reporters on Wednesday the passage of his hefty "Build Back Better" bill could have "maybe" helped Democrat Terry McAuliffe prevail in the Virginia gubernatorial race.
POTUS revealed that the reconciliation bill and the infrastructure package should have been approved before the polls opened in Virginia on Tuesday, but that he wasn't entirely convinced it would have changed the minds of Trump voters who supported Republican Glenn Youngkin.
"I think [the spending package] should've passed before Election Day but I'm not sure it would have been able to change the very conservative folks who turned out in red districts who were Trump voters. But maybe. Maybe", Biden said.
The remarks came amid Manchin's ongoing efforts to slow down the process of passing the "Build Back Better Act", which was trimmed down from its original $3.5 trillion to $1.75 trillion.
Manchin Refuses to Back Biden's $1.75 Trillion Spending Plan, Decries 'Political Games' of Lawmakers
1 November 2021, 22:01 GMT
The Democratic senator, however, made it plain on Monday that he is still uncomfortable with the framework in its current state, also demanding more time for "clarity" on the economic impact of the reconciliation bill.
"I will not support the reconciliation legislation without knowing how the bill would impact our debt and our economy and our country", Manchin stressed.
Last week, Biden tweeted that both the reconciliation package and the infrastructure bill are "all within our [Democrats'] reach", urging them to bring both documents "over the finish line".