Article Summary –
Joe Manchin, a high-profile centrist and West Virginia senator, has announced that he will not be running for the US presidency. Manchin was considering a run to offer an alternative for voters dissatisfied with both Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Despite his decision not to run, speculation continues around the potential influence of an independent candidate in the upcoming election, with some fearing that an independent bid could help deliver the White House to the Republicans.
Joe Manchin’s Decision Not to Run for US Presidency: A Relief for Biden’s Campaign
Joe Manchin, a renowned centrist figure in US politics, confirmed he would not run for the presidency, a decision welcomed by Biden’s campaign. The West Virginia senator had contemplated a presidential run to provide an alternative for voters dissatisfied with both Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
Manchin, a self-proclaimed “conservative Democrat,” has criticized both major parties and their leaders in the past. Many Democrats were concerned that an independent bid could help the Republicans win the White House in November’s election.
However, Manchin ended the speculation and declared he would not be a “deal-breaker or a spoiler” in his home state speech. His decision is likely to be received positively in the White House. As Cook Political Report Editor Amy Walters notes, many Democrats were anxious about a potential third-party candidate from a moderate background.
Current polls indicate a potential for an independent or third-party campaign, given the majority of Americans’ dissatisfaction with a Biden-Trump rematch. “Those swing voters who are not willing to back Trump could defect to another candidate,” Walters added.
However, Manchin might not have been the ideal candidate to capitalize on these political conditions. At 76, the senator is nearly the same age as his two major-party rivals. His brand of political moderation, focusing on budgetary restraint, might have appealed to some Democrats and Republicans. However, in the current climate of political polarization, that appeal may have had its limits.
Despite Manchin’s decision, the centrist group No Labels, which is considering fielding a presidential candidate, announced its work would continue. It stated that it is in talks with several exceptional leaders about serving on the presidential unity ticket. The group will announce in the coming weeks whether it will offer its line to a unity ticket.
Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who No Labels reportedly considered, declared earlier this week that he would run for his state’s open Senate seat as a Republican, effectively taking his name out of consideration.
In the close race between Biden and Trump, slight voter preference changes could have a considerable impact on the presidential race’s outcome. In 2020, Biden won three key states – Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin – by just a combined 44,000 votes. With several independent candidates already running, including Robert Kennedy Jr and scholar Cornel West, an electoral wild card might still disrupt the relatively stable 2024 campaign so far.
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