Senate Democratic Leader Harry ReidHarry Mason ReidHarry Reid says he’s cancer free White House gets jolt from strong jobs report Murkowski, Mattis criticism ratchets up pressure on GOP over Trump MORE (Nev.) acknowledged on Monday that he and other party leaders have tried to keep West Virginia Sen. Joe ManchinJoseph (Joe) ManchinTrump administration seeks to use global aid for nuclear projects Shelley Moore Capito wins Senate primary West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice wins GOP gubernatorial primary MORE (D) “happy” so he won’t join the Trump administration.
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“Joe Manchin obviously is running for a Cabinet spot,” Reid told CNN on Monday. “I know that we’ve done stuff in the last few weeks to try to make Manchin happy.”
Democrats rallied behind Manchin last week, supporting his call to further extend expiring health benefits for retired miners in the government funding bill that passed Friday.
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They hope he will run for reelection in West Virginia, a state President-elect Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE won with nearly 70 percent of the vote.
But if he jumps to the Trump administration, possibly to serve as secretary of Energy or in another high-ranking position, Democrats at least can fall back on the expectation that West Virginia’s Democratic governor would appoint another Democrat to fill Manchin’s seat, at least until the 2018 mid-term election.
“There’d be another Democrat, at least temporarily,” Reid noted.
Reid and incoming Senate Democratic Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerOvernight Health Care: US showing signs of retreat in battle against COVID-19 | Regeneron begins clinical trials of potential coronavirus antibody treatment | CMS warns nursing homes against seizing residents’ stimulus checks Schumer requests briefing with White House coronavirus task force as cases rise Schumer on Trump’s tweet about 75-year-old protester: He ‘should go back to hiding in the bunker’ MORE (D-N.Y.) gave Manchin plenty of room to demand better treatment for miners in the year-end spending bill, even though Manchin and Reid have not had the best relationship.
Manchin voted against Reid serving another term as leader and after the election blasted his leader for harshly criticizing Trump, calling Reid “an absolute embarrassment.”
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Reid suggested that Manchin may have criticized him last month in order to butter up Trump and increase his chances of getting a job in the administration.
“Manchin of course is running for a part in the Trump administration, so maybe that’s the way he got the door opened,” the Nevada Democrat said.
The other Democratic senator who is up for a possible nomination to Trump’s Cabinet is Sen. Heidi HeitkampMary (Heidi) Kathryn Heitkamp70 former senators propose bipartisan caucus for incumbents Susan Collins set to play pivotal role in impeachment drama Pro-trade group launches media buy as Trump and Democrats near deal on new NAFTA MORE (N.D.), whose name has been floated to serve as secretary of Agriculture or Energy.
Reid, however, said Monday that he’s confident that Heitkamp won’t jump from the Senate to serve in the Trump administration.
“I have no idea what they’re going to do. I just know Heidi Heitkamp, I would doubt very seriously — she being the populist that she is — that she would do that,” he said.