Manchin Hints at Abandoning Democrats Ahead of 2024

Manchin hints he might abandon Democrats ahead of 2024 Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is keeping his 2024 decision close to the vest. While many speculate he will run for reelection in the Senate, the centrist Democrat is stirring rumors that he may opt to run for the White House — on a third-party ticket.

Manchin is one of several centrist Democratic senators, such as Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) and Jon Tester (D-MT), who often vote against or openly criticize policies championed by President Joe Biden and more left-leaning senators. He is known for working across the aisle to achieve bipartisanship on major matters, such as the Inflation Reduction Act.

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Manchin has suggested in the past he could leave the Democratic Party. He said voters are “starving” for less partisanship in politics.

He said voters are sick of “this constant, daily routine of everyone’s against everybody and everybody’s fighting and arguing.”

“Let’s be for the country and get something done,” he said.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., left, and Sen. John Thune. R-S.D., right, speak during the news conference to introduce the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information Communications Technology Act, or RESTRICT Act, Tuesday, March 7, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

He has noted his 12-year relationship with the No Labels, a centrist party group that is working to gain access to ballots across all 50 states to open the doors for a third-party candidate in the presidential elections.

The nonprofit organization is committed to raising roughly $70 million to gather signatures and qualify for the 2024 ballots in individual states, per NPR. So far, they’ve gained access in Arizona, Colorado, Alaska, and Oregon.

When asked about whether he could run nationwide on the No Labels ticket, Manchin said, “People are starving, starving to work together.”

“I’ve been part of No Labels since December of 2010. It’s the only game in town that wants to bring people together and get Democrats and Republicans working together,” he said.

Still, the West Virginia senator has kept quiet on his plans for the next election. He said he plans to announce his decision in early 2024.

Left: Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV); Center: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV); Right: Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) AP

While Manchin mulls his options, the 2024 West Virginia Senate race is already heating up, as Republicans eye the red-leaning state as one of their best pick-up opportunities to flip the Senate.

Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) entered the Senate race last week, joining Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) in the GOP’s battle to unseat Manchin.

Justice is shaping up to be Manchin’s toughest opponent. Polls show Justice as the only Republican with a lead over Manchin. The governor is also entering the race with a 64% approval rating, indicating that Republicans, some Democrats, and some independents approve of his work as governor.

How that would transfer to the Senate race is yet to be seen, but the poll showed that Justice’s approval rating is 24% higher than Manchin’s.

The entry of Justice into the race is further sparking speculation that Manchin, who has beaten his Republican opponents handily since his first race in 2010, may want to avoid a close battle with narrower odds and try his hand at running for president. However, given he is not expected to make a decision until January 2024, it is likely he will keep an eye on Justice’s polling in the later 2023 months before announcing his next steps.

Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Cybersecurity Chair Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., together with ranking member Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., question witnesses during a hearing to examine enterprise cybersecurity to protect the Department of Defense information networks, Wednesday, March 29, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Manchin has ramped up his harsh criticisms of Biden as well — another indicator that he may be planning to run against him for the White House.

The West Virginia senator said he would vote to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act if the Biden administration does not adhere to the provisions. He also recently led a coalition of Senate Democrats, who are also facing reelection in 2024, in pushing back against the president’s green energy plan granting exemptions for solar panel tariffs.

He has also blasted Biden and top Senate Democrats for not coming together to address the looming debt ceiling crisis and applauded House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA ) for introducing and passing a debt limit package to raise the ceiling and cut spending.

“It has been more than 78 days since President Biden last met with Speaker McCarthy,” Manchin said in a statement on April 20. “This signals a deficiency of leadership, and it must change.”

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No matter what Manchin decides, he has made his feelings clear about his chances of success in 2024.

“Make no mistake, I will win any race I enter,” Manchin said last week after Justice entered the race.