Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on Thursday made a shocking decision concerning his Senate re-election bid.
Manchin, who is West Virginia’s only congressional Democrat and has held his senate seat since 2010, announced that he will not be seeking re-election come 2024.
BREAKING: Sen. Joe Manchin (R-WV) announces he will NOT seek re-election.
The Senate can be won, folks. Need more pressure now on OH, MT, and AZ.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) November 9, 2023
“After months of deliberation and long conservation with my family, I believe in my heart of hearts that I have accomplished what I have set out to do for West Virginia,” Manchin said in a video statement. “I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for re-election to the United States Senate. But what I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out, to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together. To the West Virginians who have put their trust in me and fought side by side to make our state better – it has been an honor of my life to serve you. Thank you.”
To the West Virginians who have put their trust in me and fought side by side to make our state better – it has been an honor of my life to serve you. Thank you. My statement on my political future: pic.twitter.com/dz8JuXAyTL
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) November 9, 2023
Manchin. who also served as governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010, has been the only Democrat holding statewide or congressional office in West Virginia since 2021. Manchin also represents the most Republican-leaning constituency of any Democrat in Congress.
Manchin’s announcement could spell trouble for President Joe Biden’s re-election bid with rumors spreading that the lawmaker plans to run for the White House in 2024 as a third-party candidate under the “No Labels” affiliation. No Labels is a bipartisan centrist group planning to raise $70 million to back an independent candidate in the next presidential election. The group has gained access to the ballot in Arizona, Colorado, Alaska and Oregon.
Trump is beating Joe Biden in the polls but he doesn't even see it coming.
Biden is running against 2 Democrats and Trump.
RFK Jr. and Joe Manchin.
This will open up a big lane for Trump's re-election. pic.twitter.com/kmkOqcjqwf
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) November 10, 2023
One of Manchin’s Senate colleagues has expressed their concern that the lawmaker would help elect Trump if he ran under the No Labels flag.
Democrats are saying good riddance to Senator Joe Manchin. They should think again. He likely just gave Republicans the Senate back, and I think he’s gonna campaign for president and draw votes away from President Joe Biden.
— Carmine Sabia 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 (@CarmineSabia) November 9, 2023
“The No Labels effort would elect Donald Trump,” said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT). I asked my chief strategist, ‘What would a candidate have to be like in order to draw [voters] from Donald Trump as opposed to drawing from Joe Biden?’ He said it would have to be someone to the right of Donald Trump.”
Joe Manchin didn’t simply announce he wasn’t running for re-election. He really announced he’s launching a presidential exploratory committee as a centrist third party candidate. That’s the news.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) November 9, 2023
Manchin has not decided if he wants to run for the White House in 2024. However, the lawmaker has previously stated his desire to leave the Democrat party, making it easy for No Labels to snatch him up.
Don't be fooled. Joe Manchin is leaving the Senate so that he can run for President with No Labels as a third-party spoiler to President Biden.pic.twitter.com/aTTzVOaNvW https://t.co/LtJCmpbXwC
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) November 10, 2023
“I would think very seriously about that,” Manchin said when asked if he was considering leaving the Democrat party. “I’ve been thinking about that for quite some time. I haven’t made any decisions whatsoever on any of my political direction. I want to make sure that my voice is truly an independent voice. When I do speak, I want to be able to speak honestly about basically the extremes of the Democrat and Republican Party that’s harming our nation.”
