Ocasio-Cortez: ‘Old way of politics’ influences Manchin’s thinking

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said on Sunday that she believes the “old way of politics” influences Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-W.Va.) thinking. 

“I do believe that that old way of politics has absolutely an influence in Joe Manchin’s thinking and the way he navigates the body,” Ocasio-Cortez told host Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union.” 

“The things that he cites, like this, I think, romanticism of bipartisanship, is about an era of Republicans that simply do not exist anymore,” the progressive lawmaker added. “And I think that the older-school way of accepting the role of lobbyists in Washington absolutely has a role in Joe Manchin’s thinking.”

AOC says in addition to voting rights, HR-1 stands up against lobbyists and dark money in politics, adding that she thinks “the older school way of accepting the role of lobbyists in Washington absolutely has a role in Joe Manchin’s thinking” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/G4Y9wvmHKE

— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) June 13, 2021

Ocasio-Cortez’s comments came after Manchin announced last week in an op-ed that he will vote against the For the People Act. The sweeping election overhaul legislation would require states to offer mail-in voting, early voting and same-day voter registration. 

The House passed the legislation in March in a 220-210 vote. 

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Sunday that she feels optimistic about Manchin, who plays a pivotal role in the evenly divided Senate, changing his decision to vote for the bill, adding that he “left the door open.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she hasn’t given up on Sen. Joe Manchin when it comes to passing a voting rights bill: “We have to make this fight for our democracy. It isn’t about Democrats or Republicans. It’s not about partisanship. Forget that. It’s about patriotism” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/0QFmWrhPjv

— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) June 13, 2021