Morgantown, W.Va. – Sen. Joe Manchin, D-Wa., announced Friday that he is not running for president after spending months trying to shake up the 2024 campaign.
“I will not seek a third-party election. I will not run for president,” Manchin said during a speech. “I will be committed to ensuring that we secure a president with the knowledge, passion and ability to unite this country.”
A third party could be possible down the road, Manchin said, but this year's bid would have been “very challenging.” He said he didn't want to be a “deal-breaker” or a “spoiler”.
“I don't think it's the right time,” Manchin said. “We're in a real sticky situation here that could go either way. Democracy is at stake now.”
Manchin, 76, said last November that he would not seek re-election to his Senate seat this year, leading to speculation that he would run for the White House as an independent or a third-party candidate.
Democrats feared that Manchin's candidacy could pull votes away from President Joe Biden and boost the 2024 Republican front-runner, former President Donald Trump, in the general election.
Manchin, who spoke to reporters after his speech Friday before Biden's announcement, called their conversation “very respectful.”
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah and former Sen. Until Thursday, Rob Portman, R-Ohio, the centrist senator had publicly refused to reject the White House's bid.
Manchin has appeared at events over the past few months hosted by No Labels, a political group trying to mount a bipartisan, third-party presidential campaign. He told reporters that he wished the team well but did not think joining their ticket was the “right course” for him.
Following Manchin's announcement, former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, former North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory and civil rights leader Benjamin Chavis Jr., national co-chairs of No Labels, said they spoke with “many exceptional leaders.” A potential presidential ticket.
Manchin said he plans to eventually endorse a presidential nominee. He hasn't ruled out leaving the Democratic Party, but said he wants to try to fix it first.
“I'd like to think you can save your family,” Manchin said. “Or save your party you raised.”
As a Democrat representing a red state, Manchin has long been a vocal critic of the two major parties and the political establishment as a whole, a note he struck again during his speech to 80 people in attendance on Friday.
“I'm pretty sure you can't fix it from Washington. I've been trying for 14 years and I got a break last week,” Manchin said of the failed bipartisan border bill.
