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Sen. Joe Manchin, moderate West Virginia Democrat, won’t seek reelection

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The move fuels speculation he could mount a third-party presidential bid.

November 9, 2023, 2:42 PM

Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, announced Thursday that he will not run for reelection next year, fueling speculation over whether he plans on mounting a third-party White House bid and immediately complicating his party’s chances of holding the Senate past 2025.

“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,” Manchin, who had been at the center of a monthslong waiting game in Washington as he mulled his future, said in a statement.

Confirming his exit from the Senate is likely to make it much more difficult for Democrats to hold his seat, given that West Virginia largely elects Republicans. As one of the most conservative members of his party, and a former governor of the state, he repeatedly fended off GOP challengers including in 2018, when he won by less than 20,000 votes.

Democrats currently hold the Senate 51-49 and will be defending seats in several red states in next year’s elections, including in Montana, Ohio and West Virginia.

Manchin insisted in his Thursday statement that he will remain involved in politics, alluding to the possibility that he could mount an outside presidential bid amid what polls show is widespread dissatisfaction with both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, the likeliest nominees next year.

“I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for reelection 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,” Manchin said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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