Joe Manchin Didn’t Say No to Running In 2024 – Moderate Democratic Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin said on Monday that he hasn’t made a decision about running for president in 2024, but suggested that if he does decide to throw his hat in the ring, he’ll do so with a view to winning.
Speaking during a town hall event hosted by the centrist “No Labels” group, an organization that says it is exploring the possibility of putting forward a third-party presidential candidate to go up against the extremes of both parties, Manchin made the case for running against President Joe Biden.
“I’ve never been in any race I’ve ever spoiled,” Manchin said, rebutting accusations that he could deprive President Joe Biden of a victory.
“I’ve been in races to win. If I get in a race, I’m gonna win. With that being said, I haven’t made a decision,” Manchin said.
This week, No Labels CEO Nancy Jacobson defended her group over accusations that a hypothetical third-party presidential bid could risk former President Donald Trump winning a second term.
“We will not spoil for either side. The only reason to do this is to win,” Jacobson said.
The organization, which promises to launch a presidential campaign only if a team of expert advisers and pollsters believe they can win, is expected to hold a convention in April, 2024. Details of the event, and whether there will be a formal primary process to choose a possible candidate, however, have not been released. According to Jacobson, the group will make a decision about running a candidate sometime after the Florida primary and Super Tuesday in 2024.
“Everything’s On the Table”
In June, Manchin refused confirm whether he planned to endorse President Joe Biden’s bid for a second term, telling CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that he was more focused on delivering for the people of West Virginia.
“The bottom line is I’m not involved in the political process right now, with all the things we have to do,” Manchin said. “Everyone thinks about politics first. I don’t. It’s not about the politics, it’s not about my reelection or anyone else, we have an awful lot of work to do.”
Manchin’s comments fueled speculation that he was considering running himself, and his attendance at a No Labels town hall group suggests that the senator has, at the very least, considered the possibility of running on a No Labels ticket.
Jack Buckby is 19FortyFive’s Breaking News Editor. He is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
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