Joe Manchin says he's torn on voting to convict Trump in Senate trial

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) told CNN on Wednesday that he's "very much torn" on voting to convict President Trump in a Senate impeachment trial.

Why it matters: Manchin, a moderate representing West Virginia, is widely regarded as among the most likely senators to defect from fellow Democrats in a potential vote to remove Trump from office.

What he's saying: "We have a divided country. On the other hand, we have equal branch of governments, responsibilities in the Constitution. There are a lot of things at stake here. The future of our country. And the future of how we're able to do our business depends on how we handle this," Manchin told CNN.

• "I'm very much torn on it," he added. "I think it weighs on everybody."

Of note: Manchin said he would not have a problem with calling Hunter Biden to testify in the trial, despite vocal opposition from most Democrats who argue that it would divert attention from the allegations at the heart of the impeachment case against Trump. "That's all a part of this," he said.

Go deeper: House Democrats unveil articles of impeachment against Trump