Centrist Democrat Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) announced Thursday that he will not be running for re-election next year year.
Manchin, 76, said in a video announcement that he had made the decision “after months of deliberation and long conversations” with his family.
“I believe in my heart of hearts that I have accomplished what I 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 re-election to the United States Senate, but what I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together.”
Manchin’s decision to not run for re-election gives Republicans an opportunity to pick up a seat in the deep-red state. He is the most moderate Democrat in the Senate and was Democrats best chance of keeping the seat, even though he was a constant headache for his Democratic colleagues and thwarted President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda.
