With A 50-50 U.S. Senate Split, One Man Stands Out September 26, 2021 – West Virginia Democratic U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin serves a state that former Republican President Donald Trump won by 39 percent. That puts the former governor’s political life at risk when voting on every piece of legislation. “He’s described as a centrist or conservative Democrat, “ The Washington Post’s Paul Kane said. “He can be best described as a Joe Manchin Democrat.”