After hearing arguments for and against President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial, three moderate Democratic senators are undecided if they will vote to convict or acquit him, Politico reported on Wednesday.
The most intense pressure is on Alabama Sen. Doug Jones, who will face a difficult task to retain his seat in the November election in such a pro-Trump state. He faces no good choices as Democrats will rebel against him if he decides to acquit, while Republicans will be unforgiving if he votes to remove the president.
Jones said each day’s testimony has influenced him, stressing that “I am leaning in certain ways but I want to hear . . . the entire trial.”
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, the only Democrat who voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in 2018 and then won re-election a few weeks later, gave a similar answer concerning impeachment, insisting he has “not made a final decision. Every day, I hear something, I think ‘this is compelling, that’s compelling.’”
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who broke with her Democratic colleagues to vote in favor of confirming Attorney General William Barr last year, is undecided, according to a spokesman, but the senator herself has made no comments since the trial began.
There has been talk about these senators seeking a creative solution, such as splitting their votes, according to Politico. This is what Democratic Rep. Jared Golden did in the House, voting for the abuse of power charge but against the one on obstruction of Congress.
One area that might influence their decision is the battle over admitting new witnesses and documents. Manchin suggested that if Republicans reject this bid, it might be hard for him to explain, saying “I don’t know how you can call it a trial.”
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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