On Friday, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) revealed he will not launch a presidential campaign this year.
The moderate Democrat who announced he will not seek another term in the Senate has fueled speculation he may launch a third party run for the White House.
“I will not be seeking a third-party run. I will not be involved in a presidential run,” Manchin said in remarks at West Virginia University.
“I will be involved in making sure that we secure a president that has the knowledge and has the passion and has the ability to bring this country together,” he said.
Manchin’s announcement comes days after he floated multiple potential choices for a running mate.
“Hypothetically, if I was picking my running mate, really who I would ask right now is Mitt Romney,” the West Virginia Democrat said during a Q&A at a City Club of Cleveland breakfast Thursday — a stop on the nationwide “listening tour” he launched after announcing he would forgo a reelection bid in 2024. Romney is also not running for reelection this year.
“Rob Portman would be right there, too,” Manchin quickly added.
