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CNN
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As Joe Manchin prepares to leave Congress after nearly 15 years, the West Virginia senator – who left the Democratic Party earlier this year and registered as an independent – continues to distance himself from his former party, calling the brand Democrats ” poisonous”.

“The D brand has been so maligned because it’s just toxic,” Manchin said in an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju that aired Sunday, citing the change as a reason for his departure from the party.

Manchin – who has long been a key vote-getter in the Senate – added that he no longer considers himself a Democrat “in the form that the Democratic Party has become,” saying that it was the party’s brand it’s about telling people what they can do and what they can do. It’s not possible to blame progressives for change.

“Basically they expanded the idea of, ‘Well, we want to keep you safe there, but we’re going to tell you how to live your life from now on,'” Manchin added.

Manchin accused progressives – a small number of lawmakers within the party who he believes have outsized influence – of being out of touch with the majority of Americans.

“This country will not be abandoned,” he said.

The former West Virginia governor and current senator shared that he has been a lifelong Democrat because the party used to focus on issues like “good work, good pay,” but claimed Democrats are now too worried about sensitive social issues. like transgender rights while taking “no responsibility at all” for the federal budget during the election.

But Manchin said Republicans were also not taking responsibility for the national debt and also criticized them for their lack of common sense on the gun issue.

“They’re too extreme, it’s just common sense,” Manchin said. “I’m not going to ban you from buying it, but you have to show a certain level of responsibility.”

“The Democrats are going too far and want to ban it. The Republican says, “Oh, let the good times roll.” “Let everyone have what they want,” Manchin added. “Just some sensible things.”

Asked about new House leader Greg Casar’s comments that Democrats would have won the election if the party had been more like outgoing leader Pramila Jayapal and less like Manchin, the senator told Raju: “That someone “You can say that you have that.” be completely crazy.”

“The people of America voted,” Manchin said. “You had the opportunity to vote with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Donald Trump, not much was said. You know exactly what you’re getting. He made no secret of it.”

He added: “You might say, ‘That’s too far to the right.’ OK. If that’s the case, then why did they go too far to the right when Kamala tried to move back to the center a little?”

Instead, Manchin blamed Vice President Harris’ loss on her inability to present herself as a moderate candidate after championing progressive issues in her first presidential run in 2019.

“When you try to be someone you’re not, it’s hard,” Manchin said. He declined to support the vice president before the election.

While he dodged questions about who he voted for in November, Manchin shared that he likes Trump and “gets along well” with him. He added that during last weekend’s Army-Navy football game, he told the president-elect, “I want to help in any way I can.”

“I want you to succeed,” Manchin told Trump. “Every bloodthirsty American should want their president to succeed, whether they vote for him or not, whether they belong to the same party or not, whether they like him or not.”

Before Manchin left the party earlier this year, the senator considered entering the presidential race to challenge Joe Biden in the Democratic primary and discussed running again after the president ended his campaign.

But Manchin told Raju that while he sees a “way out” in people not wanting a repeat of Biden versus Trump and instead looking for a centrist candidate, he doesn’t think he has a chance of winning in all 50 states Ballot papers to come.

Manchin shared that he tried to explore a candidacy with the centrist group No Labels, saying he realized that “if I can’t run in all 50 states, I have no chance of winning.”

“Why should I do this to myself or anyone else and go down in history as a spoilsport?” Manchin added. No Labels ultimately abandoned its plans to form an independent presidential unity ticket for the 2024 election.

But Manchin stressed that there is an interest in moderates in Congress and the White House and stressed the importance of centrist voters.

“The centrist vote will determine who becomes President of the United States. And when they get here, they won’t rule this way. Neither side does. They go to their respective corners,” Manchin said. “So if the middle had a voice and had a party that could bring back both the Democratic and Republican parties, then that would be something.”

When asked by Raju whether he thought it was time for a third party, Manchin said he believed it was.

The senator added that the third party would be called the “American Party” and would serve as a space for moderate Democrats and Republicans. But he communicated that he would not be their leader.

“I’ll be out there cheering. I’m going to be the best cheerleader they’ve ever had,” Manchin said.

The outgoing senator will be succeeded by West Virginia GOP Gov. Jim Justice, a flipped seat that will give Republicans control of the chamber as well as a GOP majority in the House.

Asked if he would miss the Senate, Manchin said: “I don’t think so.”

The senator who once famously said the chamber “sucks” said the sentiment remains but claimed the House is “even worse.”

“These poor guys. I feel so sorry for you over there,” Manchin said. “You can’t move. They’re in dead heat.”

But as Manchin reflects on his career in politics, he looks back fondly on the last 40-plus years.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of my great state and to contribute to my great country,” Manchin said.

This article has been updated.

CNN’s Manu Raju, Aaron Pellish, Clare Foran and Matt Holt contributed to this report.