West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, 76, says he’s not running for reelection in 2024, leaving his seat vulnerable to Republican takeover.
Joe made this decision known to the general public on Thursday, November 9, via a statement shared online seen by Townflex. The decision, according to him, came “after months of deliberation and long conversations” with his family.
Manchin, who in earlier statements indicated a contemplation of a presidential bid under the banner of No Labels—an envisaged third-party initiative poised to advocate centrist contenders, poised to contest against President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump—said he’s not done with public service and outlined his frustrations with the two major political parties.
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This is a big blow for Democrats. The decision means Democrats face an uphill climb to keep their narrow majority in next year’s general election. For the last few years, the lawmaker has been the only Democrat elected to statewide office in West Virginia, a longtime politician who has served as governor, secretary of state, and state legislator.
In a video posted to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Manchin said he feels he has accomplished what he set out to do for the people of West Virginia and does not plan to run for his seat again.
“I believe in my heart of hearts that I have accomplished what I set out to do for West Virginia,” he said. “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.”
