Manchin will not run for president in 2024
Ending the speculations Seantor gave a speech in West Virginia. "I will not be involved in a presidential run". Altough its not the end in his campaign to heal the diviaded country. He will just look for other ways.
12:48 PM EST, February 16, 2024
As quoted by the Washington Post, Manchin said: "I just don’t think it’s the right time; Democracy is at stake right now."
Senator Joe Manchin, a pivotal centrist Democrat known for wielding significant influence in the narrowly split Senate, has been the centre of widespread speculation over the possibility of launching an independent or third-party presidential campaign for months. His association with No Labels, a bipartisan organization exploring the potential for a centrist ticket, underscored his intentions.
Addressing an audience in Morgantown, West Virginia, Manchin steered clear of directly commenting on the prospects of Biden or Trump. Instead, he pledged his commitment to supporting a leader "with the knowledge, passion, and ability to unite the nation."
Notable independent figures in the race include Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a relative of the late President John F. Kennedy, and Cornel West, a noted progressive thinker and activist.
A longstanding figure in West Virginia politics, Manchin has represented the state in the Senate since 2010 after serving as its governor. His electoral success in a state that heavily favoured Trump in 2020 by nearly 40 percentage points is a testament to his political resilience.
Throughout his tenure, Manchin has openly criticized the stranglehold that the two major political parties and their extremist wings have on the American political dialogue. He echoed this sentiment in his recent speech, particularly criticizing the collapse of a Senate immigration deal, influenced by former President Trump's intervention, as an example of the challenges facing bipartisan efforts to govern.
Sources: The New York Times; Washington Post
