Why Democrats and Republicans are worried about Manchin’s political future

If Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va) decides to run for reelection in 2024, he might be the most vulnerable Democratic senator in the country. West Virginia is a deep red state, and Manchin’s approval rating has plummeted according to a recent Morning Consult poll. But he hasn’t lost in West Virginia since the 1990s, and he’s long-benefited from distancing himself from national Democratic leaders and attacking party-line policies, including the Inflation Reduction Act. POLITICO’s Holly Otterbein breaks down the signals to Manchin’s eventual re-election decision. Plus, a panel of federal judges expressed skepticism about an effort by major oil companies to move a climate change lawsuit brought by the District of Columbia into federal court. Holly Otterbein is a national political reporter for POLITICO. Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer. Brook Hayes edited this POLITICO energy podcast. Jenny Ament is the executive producer of POLITICO’s audio department.