CHARLESTON, W.Va. — U.S. Senator Joe Manchin is being honored with an award for his lifetime of public service to the citizens of West Virginia as he finishes up his last year in the federal senate seat.
West Virginia Association of Counties (WVAOC) presented Sen. Manchin with the Patti Hamilton Imagine Award Monday at their annual conference in Charleston.
“Public service is a calling and I think it’s the noblest of all professions,” Manchin said upon receiving the award. “I try everyday to get more good people involved in giving back.”
Manchin was joined by WVAOC Executive Director, Patti Hamilton herself, who presented him with that award Monday.
During the address he gave, Manchin spoke about learning the ropes in becoming on the forefront of public service throughout his time in the U.S. Senate , a position he has held since 2010, as well as his time spent serving as WV Secretary of State and as the state’s 34th governor.
He said he learned the value in being a public servant throughout his extensive career in public office, but he also said that someone doesn’t have to be in an official seat to uphold that value of simply helping others.
“Everybody can give back, everybody can serve, as long as you think I can do something to help somebody else, if you have that in your heart, and I think most Americans have that, that notion that it’s not about us, it’s not about me, it’s about we,” he said.
During his time in office, Manchin has had a hand in implementing significant pieces of legislation that has helped Americans in need, including the American Rescue Plan, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
He said this notion of giving back to others is a big part of why he chose not to seek re-election for senate and instead plans to campaign in fighting to unite the political middle in the country.
He said the extreme division that’s currently happening in America between the two political parties is most concerning to him and it’s fueling hate rather than working together on a united front.
“They’re trying to normalize hatred to go with the political process, there should not be hatred, there should be agreements and disagreements, and there should be ways and avenues and things you can do to fix it, to come together to find ways to best serve,” Manchin said.
However, Manchin said putting in the years of uniting citizens on a state-level has given him the springboard and motivation he needed to want to try and do it on a national-level.
He said public service has always been an integral part of West Virginia culture, and it’s a good role model for the rest of the country to follow to become more united.
“That’s all I ever thought about, how can I make my beautiful state where I was born and raised better,” he said. “Despite the trials and tribulations I’ve seen of how tough life can be here, I’ve seen people come together to get you through the tough times of life, and that’s kind of who we are.”
Manchin will continue to serve the remainder of his time in the senate until Jan. 2025.