In the wake of Republican victories across the country, some Democrats are warning the party against adopting a “far left” agenda.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) told The New York Times that President Joe Biden was not elected to be a transformative figure like President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Instead, she claimed he was elected “to be normal and stop the chaos.”
During an appearance on CNN’s “New Day” Thursday, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) expressed optimism that Biden will be able to “stop the chaos” and “be normal.”
“I think he can do that, I really do. I believe in President Biden,” he said, adding, “He’s a good person. He’s here for the right reason. He really is in government for the right reason.”
He continued, “We just have to work together. We can’t go too far left. This is not a center-left or a left country. We are a center, if anything, center-right country. And we ought to be able to recognize that. […] I’m fiscally responsible and socially compassionate, I think most people in the middle feel that way.”
The West Virginia senator urged lawmakers to “come together” and “realize what can and can’t be done.”
Watch the video below:
"I believe in President Biden," @Sen_JoeManchin says. "We just have to work together. We can't go too far left. This is not a center-left or a left country. We are a center, if anything, center-right country."
— CNN This Morning with Kasie Hunt (@CNNThisMorning) November 4, 2021
"I'm fiscally responsible and socially compassionate," he adds. pic.twitter.com/zXVZkqin8k
Manchin’s comments come after Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe to win the Virginia gubernatorial election, as IJR reported.
Youngkin was the first Republican to win a statewide office in Virginia since 2009.
Republicans also won the lieutenant governor and attorney general races and flipped control of the House of Delegates.
Additionally, while New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) is projected to win reelection, his race was far closer than polls predicted.
As the Times notes, Democratic losses were not isolated to Virginia, “The powerful New Jersey State Senate president, Steve Sweeney, was trailing a truck driver who ran a shoestring campaign; a Latino Republican flipped a Democratic seat in South San Antonio; and Democrats were thrashed in local races across Long Island.”
While Biden denied that the election was a rebuke of his presidency, Spanberger argued to the paper that voters simply voted for him to oust former President Donald Trump and not to enact sweeping legislation.