Politics
Joe Manchin Makes Tragic Personal Announcement
Former U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) announced his family has experienced a heartbreaking loss this week.
Manchin, 77, who retired from the Senate earlier this year, said that his older sister passed away at 80 years old.
Janet Thompson died on Sunday surrounded by her family, the Democrat-turned-independent said, describing her as a “force of nature” and a “dedicated partner” to Commander Robert G. Thompson, her husband of 56 years.
“It is with heavy hearts that Gayle and I share that my sister, Janet Manchin Thompson, aged 80, passed away peacefully on Sunday, surrounded by her loving family,” Manchin wrote on Tuesday. “She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 56 years, Commander Robert G. Thompson, and her parents, John Sr. and Mary Manchin. Janet leaves behind a legacy of love, strength and a zest for life that will never be forgotten.”
Manchin wrote that his sister is survived by her two children, her granddaughter, her five siblings and several other relatives.
His sister’s passion for cooking was a favorite ingredient in family get-togethers. In addition, Janet Thompson managed her own restaurant alongside other chefs who remain close with the family, Manchin said.
“Upon Bob’s retirement, they returned to West Virginia where she operated a successful restaurant enterprise. Her recipes and ability to turn any gathering into an event will continue to be a source of comfort, tradition, and connection for generations to come,” he continued.
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Manchin served in the Senate from 2011 through January 2025 when he opted against seeking reelection. He left the party in 2024 amid a reckoning over his votes for several controversial issues, including subsidizing the production of coal, a key industry in West Virginia, while expressing hope that his independence would help “bring the country together.”
He was widely seen as one of the last moderate Democrats in the Senate, and he suffered for it. Progressive activists regularly filmed themselves haranguing Manchin at town halls and even once followed him to his private boat in a dingy, chanting pro-environment slogans in a bid for attention.
In lieu of flowers, Manchin said that his sister’s family has asked friends to share a meal with loved ones, or donate food to a pantry or food program to serve others struggling with hunger, the Daily Caller reported.
In Manchin’s Senate stead stepped Jim Justice (R-WV), the state’s former governor who easily won election last year.
Other retirements are complicating Democrats’ chances of retaking the Senate in 2026. Michigan Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) announced earlier this year that he will not seek reelection, as did Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), who previously served as governor of New Hampshire.
