Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W. Va.) said on Thursday that had he been in Congress at the time, he would not have supported the Affordable Care Act. The comments came during a discussion at the Renewal Summit, an event sponsored by The Atlantic and Allstate.
"I can tell you as Democrats from me to Bernie Sanders– okay that's a pretty big swath. There is no way we're going to vote to repeal, okay. That's not the bill I would have voted for if I was here in 2009, but we've got it and it's done," Manchin told the crowd.
Manchin's comments conflict with statements he made in 2010, just a week before the House of Representatives voted on the Affordable Care Act. Manchin was serving as governor of West Virginia at the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhJiNFIKkGI
During the National Governors Association health care roundtable, Manchin was asked how he would vote if he was serving in the House.
"I'd be for it," he said. "I think you've got to move the ball. Ted was exactly right, you have to move this ball forward."
The West Virginia Democrat is expected to face a tough reelection battle in 2018.