Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on Wednesday castigated Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) for trying to have the best of both worlds regarding support for Planned Parenthood.
McDaniel tweeted two photos of Manchin that show the senator holding up signs about Planned Parenthood with diametrically opposing messages. The photos were taken only days apart.
"If Joe Manchin can't be honest about where he stands, he doesn't deserve to stand for West Virginians," McDaniel wrote.
These photos were taken less than 3 weeks apart. If Joe Manchin can’t be honest about where he stands, he doesn't deserve to stand for West Virginians. #WVSenpic.twitter.com/Kgn3se4VeW
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) February 7, 2018
Both photos were taken last year. One photo, from April, shows a smiling Manchin meeting with the West Virginia chapter of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and holding a sign that reads, "I Stand With Planned Parenthood."
Thank you for standing with Planned Parenthood, @Sen_JoeManchin! #StandWithPP pic.twitter.com/oglnoDYiF1
— PP South Atlantic WV (@PPSATWV) April 19, 2017
Days later, he posed with Students for Life president Kristan Hawkins for the second photo, which also shows a smiling Manchin holding a sign—but this one reads, "We Don't Need Planned Parenthood."
One Thing That Could Flip Sen. Manchin’s Vote for Planned Parenthood https://t.co/DObYuj6h1j @daviddaleiden #ppsellsbabyparts pic.twitter.com/eLa4ovMxH2
— Students for Life (@Students4LifeHQ) May 9, 2017
Manchin received a wave of criticism for the two photos at the time. His communications director, Jonathan Kott, released a statement saying that the senator will pose for photos with any constituent and that any signs he holds bear no relation to his policy positions.
McDaniel flagged the photos as Manchin gears up for his reelection campaign this year. The West Virginia Democrat faces a tough fight in a state that President Donald Trump won by 42 percentage points in 2016. Manchin, a former governor, is one of only two Democrats left in statewide office in West Virginia. His position became more lonely after West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who Manchin helped elect, defected from the Democratic Party to become a Republican in August.
Since joining the Senate in 2010, Manchin has walked a tightrope on the issue of abortion, representing a conservative state while being a member of a party that is shifting further to the left, especially on social issues.
Manchin, who identifies himself as pro-life, has voted against Republican efforts to defund Planned Parenthood for providing abortions. He originally voted to defund the organization in August 2015, after the Center for Medical Progress released secretly-recorded online videos of Planned Parenthood employees discussing the sale of baby organs. But in March 2017, the senator sided with his party, voting against a measure that would have allowed states to withhold funding from Planned Parenthood and other abortion-providers. The measure ultimately passed, with Vice President Mike Pence casting the tie-breaking vote.
Manchin voted for legislation to ban abortion after 20 weeks in both 2015 and 2017.
According to a congressional scorecard put together by the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Manchin has a 57 percent rating from the organization for 2018, indicating a mixed record on abortion.
Kott told Axios in May that Manchin's support for Planned Parenthood is "contingent on the Hyde Amendment being law, to ensure public funds don't go to abortions."
McDaniel's criticism came after Pence visited West Virginia last week, when he rebuked Manchin for voting against the recently passed tax reform legislation. Pence also blasted Manchin for other votes on health care, immigration, and Planned Parenthood.
When the time came to repeal & replace the disaster of Obamacare, Joe voted NO. When we empowered West Virginia to defund Planned Parenthood, Joe voted NO. And when it comes to securing our Southern border, Joe said, "I’m not voting for the wall, either." #JoeVotedNo
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) January 31, 2018