Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) recently issued a scathing rebuke of President Joe Biden, saying that the president is controlled by “far, far-left liberals.” The West Virginia congressman’s comments feed speculation that he may be considering running as a third-party candidate in the 2024 presidential election.
Manchin inches closer to 2024 bid, says Biden dominated by ‘far, far-left liberals’
Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) could be the wild card in this year’s presidential election if he chooses to enter the race as a third-party candidate and he seems to be inching closer to jumping in.… pic.twitter.com/Zp4QQZ93Q6
— BPR (@BIZPACReview) January 29, 2024
In recent months, Manchin has emerged as one of the Biden administration’s largest critics, specifically concerning its climate agenda. The West Virginia lawmaker told CNN he “absolutely” could see himself becoming president.
CNN pointed out that Manchin referred to Biden as a “good, decent man” but expressed concerns about what another four years of the Biden administration could have in store for America, considering that the president’s cabinet is a group of “far, far-left liberals.”
Manchin took credit for the Biden administration’s agenda, telling CNN that had it not been for his leveraging approach in the Senate, where Democrats hold a slight majority, the U.S. would be in a worse situation.
“The way it was presented and the way it ended up are two different things,” the West Virginia lawmaker told the outlet.
Manchin expressed concern over former President Donald Trump’s chances in the 2024 presidential election, saying that a potential second term for the former president is “very much concerning to every human being and every person who basically loves the country that we have, and the life that we have, and trying to have a future for our children and future generations.”
Like many Democrats, Manchin is worried that Biden’s weak polling numbers against Trump could signal that the president is unprepared to face the former president in the forthcoming presidential election.
CNN senior reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere said that if Manchin decides to throw his hat in the ring in the 2024 election, the West Virginia lawmaker would most likely do so using ballot spots by the centrist group “No Labels,” which has been heavily criticized by Biden supporters who worry that a third-party run could spoil the president’s chances of reelection.
Manchin’s name has been considered a potential presidential contender for the group, which has praised the West Virginia congressman.
In November 2023, the group said, “Senator Joe Manchin is a tireless voice for America’s commonsense majority and a longtime ally of the No Labels movement.”
