Independent Senator Joe Manchin has said that he will not support Vice President Kamala Harria for president, after she stated she would end the Senate filibuster in order to pass abortion laws in Congress.

With just 40 days left before the election, the outgoing West Virginia legislator who is a Democrat has been one the few to not endorse Harris.

Harris stated in an interview that she supports ending the filibuster to allow Congress to pass legislation codifying Roe, after several attempts by Senate Democrats failed since the landmark Supreme Court ruling was overturned. Manchin, however, opposes this move.

Manchin said, ‘She’s a shame’. She knows that the filibuster represents the Holy Grail for democracy. It’s what keeps us working and talking together. If she got rid of it, this House would be on steroids.

Manchin said ‘that’s not going to happen’ when asked if he would support the vice president.

He said: ‘I believe that this can basically destroy our country, and my country is important to me more than any person or any person’s ideologies.’ I think it is the worst thing.

In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Manchin stated that he has adhered to the sixty-vote requirement since his arrival in the Senate.

He said: ‘This threshold stabilizes democracy, promotes cooperation between the two parties, and protects us from partisan whiplash.’ ‘I’ve always said that if you don’t want to change, you won’t be able to change anything’ and I hope that the vice president is willing to do so.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe V Wade in 2022 the Democrats have tried to pass legislation that would restore abortion protections nationwide. However, they require sixty votes in order to overcome filibustering in the Senate.

The Senate is currently controlled by Republicans, who have only 51 seats.

Former Democrat-turned-Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona echoed Manchin’s sentiments. She will not run for re-election either.

“To state the obvious, eliminating filibuster in order to codify Roe V Wade will also enable a future Congress ban all abortions nationwide. She said on X, ‘What a terrible, shortsighted concept!

After the Supreme Court ruling leaked out, Democrats tried to pass legislation for the first time in May 2022. But it failed. Manchin and all Senate Republicans voted against it. A previous attempt also failed.

Harris, in an interview on Wisconsin Public Radio, said: ‘I have been very clear. I believe we should eliminate filibustering for Roe and get to a point where we would need 51 votes to put the protections in place for reproductive freedom, for every person, every woman, to be able to make their own decisions about their body, without having their government tell them how to act.’

Harris, as vice-president, had promised to be the tiebreaker vote in the Senate for legislation codifying Roe. Her comments on Tuesday are the first time that she has reiterated this position as a candidate for the presidency.

Manchin has praised Vice President Biden at various times since she became the head of the ticket. However, he hadn’t yet given her an official endorsement.

Manchin, a Democratic lawmaker who will retire at the end the year, called on Biden to leave the presidential race after his disastrous performance in the June debate.

Manchin quickly denied any speculation that he would run after Biden left the race.

Manchin, however, called for a “mini-primary” instead of following Biden and endorsing Harris.

Manchin, who has praised the vice-president for his nomination and her campaign, has also praised Manchin.

In an interview he gave to the New York Times, last month he described some of their comments as ‘encouraging’.

He called her accomplishments in three weeks “amazing” and “an incredible job”, as she ramped up the presidential campaign within weeks of taking the top spot.

I’m surprised. She has done good things. Manchin said to the Times that his relationship with Kamala began when she was elected to the Senate. He described her as “very bright and very smart.”

Trump congratulated Manchin on Twitter for his remarks made on Tuesday.

The senator has said that he will not support Harris but he also warned Trump in the past that he could ‘destroy the democracy in America’ by giving him a second term.