Democrat Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia is not seeking reelection for Senate in 2024, despite having filed papers for the office. And Democrats seem to be losing their sleep over the news.
Senator Manchin announced last Thursday (November 9) that he would not seek reelection after thinking it over for months during which time he discussed the matter with his family. The 76-year-old announced his decision on Twitter/X.
The announcement instantly struck the Democrats and the leftist media, both seeing it as a potential giveaway to Republicans. NBC News reacted to Manchin’s announcement and went straight to put it on the 2024 Senate election map.
But losing Manchin’s Senate seat to a Republican in 2024 is not the only political concern bothering the Democrats; Manchin’s possible run for presidency as Biden’s likely competitor has become a question for the left. ABC News published an article on Friday (November 10) expressing concern that Manchin’s decision hurts Democrats’ Senate hopes for 2024 while also sparking speculation about his possible presidential bid.
Manchin’s sudden announcement injects a new layer of uncertainty for Democratic leaders already anxious about the party’s prospects in 2024.
The left is worried that Manchin may take votes away from Joe Biden, whose poll numbers have recently remained low and worrisome for the Democrats. The Washington Examiner on Tuesday (November 14) noted that Manchin remained evasive on the presidential bid question in his recent interview with CBS News.
As with most interviews in recent months, Manchin remained evasive, refusing to say whether he would run for president in 2024, but he dismissed concerns that doing so would guarantee a victory for former President Donald Trump.
So far, Manchin has remained silent in response to media inquiries about any presidential run plans as an independent candidate. But Democrats are sending him messages through their media. Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, on Sunday (November 12) issued what left-leaning media dubbed “a stark warning” to Manchin against running for the White House in 2024. In an interview with ABC News, Moore said of Manchin:
“I would urge him not to mar his legacy by getting involved in something so foolish.”
Republicans, on the other hand, sound welcoming of Manchin’s decision to drop out of the Senate race in WV. Conservative activist Scott Presler cheered at Manchin’s announcement and replied to his video tweet as:
“I’m the happiest guy in the world. Republicans, let’s pick up this Senate seat.”
President Trump responded to Manchin’s decision of not running for the Senate in 2024 as good news for Jim Justice, the Republican Senate candidate he has endorsed.