West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin considers re-register as a Democrat so that he can run for president.
Fox News confirmed that Manchin, who left the Democratic Party in May and registered as an independent, said Sunday that he was considering re-registering with his original party and running for president.
Manchin said he was considering switching parties and running for president, “even just to have the discussion about moving the party back to the center,” Fox News’ Bret Baier posted on X.
Earlier Sunday, Manchin had called on Biden to step down.
WEST VIRGINIA SENATOR JOE MANCHIN LEAVES DEMOCRATIC PARTY, RUNS AS INDEPENDENT
West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is considering returning to the Democratic Party and running for president. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images)
“He will leave behind a legacy that, unlike many people, will be one of the best and certainly a patriot, an American,” Manchin said of Biden during an appearance on ABC News’ “This Week.” “So it’s with a heavy heart that I think the time has come for him to pass the torch to a new generation.”
Manchin changed party his registration from Democrat to independent this year, although he still caucuses with Democrats in the Senate.
In the three weeks since Biden’s disastrous debate performance against former President Trump, Manchin said he believes the president needs time to assess and make a decision if he wants to at that point. The senator also acknowledged that his fellow Democrats, facing tight congressional or state elections in November, worry that Biden’s reelection campaign could ruin their chances.
JOE MANCHIN FACES PRESSURE FOR 11TH-HOUR BID TO SECURE CRITICAL SEAT FOR DEMOCRATS
President Biden announced Sunday that he will not seek re-election for another four years in the White House. (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The senator privately expressed his deep concern to Biden allies, including Democratic Sen. Chris Coons and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the day after the debate but decided to cancel his scheduled appearances on the Sunday shows, Politico reported. In doing so, Manchin reportedly wanted to give Biden time to decide the issue on his own, but the senator reversed course.
Manchin’s surprising decision to switch from Democrat to independent in May came as he was being tipped to run for governor of New York state. West Virginia Moderate Republicans unhappy with the party’s candidate, state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, have expressed their displeasure. The move also came ahead of the deadline to file as an independent in West Virginia.
Asked about the rumors in late May, Manchin downplayed the rumors but did not dismiss them. He said the Democratic candidate, Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, was a friend.
Vice President Kamala Harris could become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee after Biden announced Sunday that he was dropping out of the race. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye)
West Virginia MetroNews reported that sources “close” to the senator said at least 20 Republicans “with financial resources” have encouraged Manchin to run for governor.
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Since the report was published, Manchin has reportedly been bombarded with people urging him to show up at an event at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, according to WVMetroNews. The Greenbrier is owned by the state’s current governor, Democrat-turned-Republican Jim Justice, who is term-limited and is now the Republican Senate nominee to replace Manchin.
Fox News’ Aishah Hasnie and Fox News Digital’s Julia Johnson and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
