CHARLESTON — United States Sen. Joe Manchin, announced last Thursday that he will not be seeking re-election in West Virginia.
His announcement has increased speculation about Manchin’s potential involvement in a third-party presidential run.
In an official statement from his senatorial office, Sen. Manchin revealed that he is not running for re-election in the U.S. Senate. He stated,
“After months of deliberation and long conversations with my family, I believe in my heart of hearts that I have accomplished what I set out to do for West Virginia.”
“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.”
During the past few months, Sen. Manchin has hinted at a possible 2024 presidential run, potentially as an independent candidate.
In connection with this, a faction advocating for Manchin to join forces with retiring Utah Sen. Mitt Romney in a third-party presidential bid took a formal step by filing paperwork to establish a draft committee with the Federal Election Commission.
As Sen. Joe Manchin exits the Senate race and West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice declaring his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, the 2024 election appears to be in favor of Jim Justice.