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Manchin’s energy fight with Obama reflects new West Virginia

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., a Democratic sponsor of the long-stalled Keystone XL pipeline bill, flanked by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., right, and Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., left, makes his plea at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee markup on the controversial project, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, on Capitol Hill in Washington. As promised by Republican leaders who now hold the majority in Congress, the Keystone bill is at the top of their agenda after it fell short of passage in December when Democrats ruled the Senate. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., a Democratic sponsor of the long-stalled Keystone XL pipeline bill, flanked by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., right, and Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., left, makes his plea at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee markup on the controversial project, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, on Capitol Hill in Washington. As promised by Republican leaders who now hold the majority in Congress, the Keystone bill is at the top of their agenda after it fell short of passage in December when Democrats ruled the Senate. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

By Associated Press 4 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin might leave Washington early for West Virginia and run for governor, rather than suffer through another four years of a Senate riven by political hostility.

So far, though, the word he wants to hear – bipartisanship – is on everyone’s lips. Manchin and his coal state interests have found a more receptive audience in the Republican-led Senate, and he’s challenging President Barack Obama over construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. He also stands to wield more clout as a centrist Democrat who might be helpful during tough votes the GOP can’t win alone.

But the new Congress is only a few days old. The professed bipartisan spirit is fragile. And Manchin is keeping his options open.

“I’ll make a decision by this summer, end of the spring,” the 67-year-old senator and former governor said in an interview with The Associated Press. He refused to commit to serving out his Senate term, which runs through 2018.

“I didn’t come here to sit on my hands. The last four years are the most unproductive years of my working life,” Manchin added. “I’d like to think basically I’m involved in this great body, that I can contribute from my state of West Virginia and make sure (my constituents) are heard.”