(RepublicanReport.org) – Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) won’t be running to defend his seat in 2024, but he might not be finished with Washington quite yet. Democrats are worried he might be considering a presidential run — a move that would likely draw some moderate Liberals and could all but guarantee former President Donald Trump, if he’s selected as the GOP candidate, the win against current President Joe Biden.
The election year could be looking good for Republicans hoping to see a victorious rematch between the two 2020 presidential candidates. Manchin, who sees himself as a moderate alternative to those on both sides of the campaign trail, cites disillusionment with the divide as one reason for leaving his place in Congress. Additionally, he would likely have a difficult time defeating a Republican opponent in his state during an election year.
Manchin has also been putting out feelers to see if Americans genuinely want a third-party candidate running against the two current front-runners, indicating that he wants to continue serving the people. NBC News reports that Heather Manchin, the West Virginia senator’s daughter, launched a political action committee in August, Americans Together, which could possibly be geared toward funding his campaign.
Manchin’s campaign advisers also continue to communicate with No Labels. The group is insistent, based on its own independent polls, that an estimated 69% of Americans want to see No Labels appear on the presidential ballot. It also found that 72% of the US population doesn’t want to see Biden running again, while 63% doesn’t want Trump making another attempt. No Labels hasn’t committed to offering up a set of candidates to run in 2024, but it’s still considering the possibility.
Some Democrats are hopeful Manchin will stay on the sidelines, noting his insistence during a recent interview that he had no plans to “be a spoiler” in the race. But according to specs on No Labels’ proposed “unity ticket,” the “spoiler argument” is “spoiled logic.” The group insists third-party candidates aren’t always the bane of one party, although it struggles to back the argument.
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