Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told Nexstar on Tuesday that he sent a text message to Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., earlier in the day asking him to join the Republican Party, Austin's KXAN reported on Wednesday.
''Joe, if they don't want you, we do,'' Cornyn sent to Manchin.
Cornyn said he has not heard back from Manchin yet but said it would be ''the greatest Christmas gift'' he could think of if the West Virginia Democrat decided to make the leap.
''I don't know what he will decide to do. But I do know West Virginia has gotten increasingly red. … And I think his vote on Build Back Better is reflective of what he's hearing from his constituents in West Virginia.
''So yeah, we'd love to have him. That would change the majority.''
Manchin, a centrist, is in hot water with his caucus after effectively killing President Joe Biden's signature legislation, the Build Back Better Act (BBB).
The West Virginia senator announced his intention to vote against the $2 trillion BBB package on ''Fox News Sunday'' with host Bret Baier.
''I've always said this, Bret. If I can't go home and explain it to the people of West Virginia, I can't vote for, and I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just can't,'' Manchin declared.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded to Manchin's decision in a press conference soon after.
''On Tuesday of this week, Senator Manchin came to the White House and submitted — to the President, in person, directly — a written outline for a Build Back Better bill that was the same size and scope as the President's framework, and covered many of the same priorities,'' she said.
''If his comments on Fox and written statement indicate an end to that effort, they represent a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position and a breach of his commitments to the President and the Senator's colleagues in the House and Senate.''
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