Joe Manchin announces he will not run for the presidency

Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, made the announcement on Feb. 16 that he will not be running for the presidency on a third-party ticket.

“I will not be seeking a third-party run,” he told reporters in West Virginia, according to The Epoch Times. “I will not be involved in a presidential run.”

He continued, “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.”

Rumors of a Run

Manchin, who is 76 years old, considered embarking on a third-party candidacy. However, he stated that the prospect would be "very challenging" and maybe a "deal-breaker" or "spoiler."

“The system right now is not set up for [it]. [In] the long game, maybe we can make a third-party viable where it has a process and opportunity. Right now, it’s very challenging,” he said.

“And I’m not going to be a deal breaker, if you will, spoiler, whatever you want to call it,” he continued. “I just don’t think it’s the right time.”

After a career in politics that spanned 25 years, Manchin made the announcement in November that he would be retiring from Congress.

The Announcement

In a video that was uploaded to X, which was formerly known as Twitter, Manchin, who is 76 years old, made his statement.

“After months of deliberation and long conversation with my family, I believe in my heart of hearts that I have accomplished what I have set out to do for West Virginia,” he said.

“I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for reelection to the United States Senate," he added.

It is a blow to the Democrats that the moderate senator has decided not to run for reelection.

Analysts predict that the Democrats are at great risk of losing the Senate in the upcoming election, and they will have to defend as many as ten seats that are quite vulnerable.