Democratic United States Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced that he will not seek re-election. This is significant because Manchin is a centrist who often sides with principle over his party. This led to conflict between him and with progressive party leadership. He was expected to win reelection, but with his exit from the Senate many pollsters expect conservative West Virginia to replace him with a Republican. How could a Democrat like Joe Manchin consistently win in a conservative state? Many voters may remember a Democratic Party which wasn’t absolutely committed to progressive priorities like transgenderism. But that time is gone. The differences between social conservatives and social progressives, and the parties which represent them, is becoming even more clear.