Trump wants a Democrat to vote for acquittal in impeachment trial. The White House eyes Joe Manchin.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-wants-a-senate-democrat-to-vote-for-acquittal-in-impeachment-trial-white-house-eyes-joe-manchin/2020/01/25/ef0a912e-3c64-11ea-971f-4ce4f94494b4_story.html

By Josh Dawsey
Jan. 25, 2020 at 3:25 p.m. EST

President Trump and White House officials are looking for at least one Senate Democrat to vote against removing the president from office at the end of his impeachment trial, and they see Joe Manchin III (W.Va.) as the most likely candidate.

Trump took particular pride that three House Democrats voted against his impeachment, White House officials said, and he would like to be able to get at least one Senate Democrat to vote for his acquittal so he can claim the decision was bipartisan.

Manchin has sided with Trump on tough votes before, such as the confirmation of Supreme Court Brett M. Kavanaugh. But voting to acquit the president would be an even more politically charged decision, one that could help him maintain his reputation as a moderate back home but would probably make him a pariah within his own party.

He struck a conciliatory note toward the president Saturday, becoming the only Democrat to publicly praise Trump’s defense team even as he called for more witnesses, such as former national security adviser John Bolton and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.