Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) has announced via a post on X that he will not seek re-election to the Senate in 2024. Attached to his four-minute declaration was a message that read simply:
“I Will Not Seek Re-Election, I Will Fight To Unite The Middle
“I know our country isn’t as divided as Washington wants us to believe. We share common values of family, freedom, democracy, dignity and a belief that together we can overcome any challenge.”
This decision has long been expected as the senator has walked a tightrope between party loyalty and being a Democrat politician in a notoriously red state. Speculation has been rife that Manchin will join the No Labels Party and try for a middle-path presidential run. He added fuel to this particular fire, saying, “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.”
The senator says that his future actions depend on his fact-finding tour. However, he continued his message, laying out what can only be described as a presidential pitch. The very political definition of “watch this space.”
