Seth Meyers took a shot at West Virginia senator Joe Manchin during Tuesday’s “Late Night” monologue after the Democrat was asked this week if he plans to follow Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in leaving the party and becoming an independent.
“I don’t know how you get more independent than I am,” Manchin recently told reporters. “I look at all of these things, I’ve always looked at all of these things. But I have no intention of doing anything right now.”
“Well, he sounds like a Democrat to me,” Meyers joked.
Manchin and Sinema have had a strong influence on legislation and the selection of nominees introduced by the Biden Administration. They are widely viewed as two of the most centrist members in the party.
Despite Sinema’s switch, she told Politico in an interview that she expects to keep her current committee assignments and continue to caucus with Democrats. She added that nothing would change about her ideology or values.
Manchin added that he respects Sinema’s decision.
“You have to respect every senator up here has to make their own decisions and I trust them all and I respect the decisions they make,” he said. “It doesn’t change how I’m going to work with them. It doesn’t change anything.”
Both Sinema and Manchin will be up for reelection in 2024. Manchin has not disclosed whether he plans to run.
Watch Meyers’ full monologue in the video above.
