Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin said he will not run for president in 2024 during an interview on Wednesday.
He was interviewed at the West Virginia State Capitol by Metro News radio host Hoppy Kercheval, an influential figure in the state’s politics. “I’m not running for President of the United States,” Manchin said. He told Kercheval his presidential ambitions could change “two years from now, a year and a half from now.”
It was great to be at the WV Capitol this morning to join @HoppyKercheval on @WVMetroNews & see my friends & fmr colleagues in @wvsenate & @wvhouse. WV has received more than $4B in federal funds from COVID-19 legislation, & the #InflationReductionAct will further help our state. pic.twitter.com/63QNtf2MfQ
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) February 22, 2023
“You don’t know who the Democrat and Republican nominee are going to be,” Manchin continued. “My goal is to bring the country together.” (RELATED: ‘They’re Not Taking My Gas Stove Out,’ Manchin Says As Biden Admin Plans Gas Stove Crackdown)
Sen. Manchin, a powerful centrist in the Senate, has not announced whether he will run for a third term. He was narrowly re-elected in 2018 against state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, despite West Virginia voting overwhelmingly for then-Republican candidate Donald Trump in the 2016 election.
Manchin’s approval rating among West Virginians plummeted to 26% in August 2022 after he supported President Joe Biden’s $739 billion Inflation Reduction Act. The bill contained various renewable energy subsidies and significantly increased IRS funding.
Republican West Virginia Rep. Alex Mooney has already announced a challenge to Manchin and Jim Justice, the state’s GOP governor, is widely expected to run against Mooney for the Republican nomination.
A poll conducted by the Tarrance Group for the Senate Leadership Fund from Feb. 5-7 had Justice ahead of Manchin 52% to 42% in a general election matchup. Justice would win the Republican nomination with 53% of the vote compared to 21% for Morrisey and 16% for Mooney. Manchin would defeat Morrisey and Mooney in a general election, the poll found.