Sen. Joe Manchin’s (I-WV) penchant for keeping the press and his Senate colleagues on their toes has become the stuff of legend. So when he announced last year that he wouldn’t be seeking reelection in West Virginia, a state that has turned decidedly red, many still held out hope that he might have a change of heart.
As the filing deadline for independent candidates in West Virginia came and went on Thursday, Manchin’s name was noticeably absent from the secretary of state’s online candidate list, a move that was consistent with his earlier declaration. In the lead-up to the deadline, Manchin had teased the possibility of an eleventh-hour campaign, saying, “We still have a lot of time left,” before quickly shooting down the idea.
This isn’t the first time Manchin has flirted with a dramatic move. Last year, he considered a third-party presidential run against President Joe Biden, only to ultimately decide against it. More recently, as Biden exited the presidential race, a close ally suggested that Manchin might switch back to the Democratic Party to seek the nomination, a notion he quickly dismissed in favor of advocating for a contested primary.
Manchin’s decision to switch parties in June, just one day before the deadline to become an independent, had fueled speculation that he might not be done with politics just yet. However, with his name not appearing on the candidate list, it seems that he is indeed sticking to his plan to retire from the Senate at the end of his term in January 2025.
The implications of Manchin’s departure are significant, particularly for Democrats. His centrist voice will be deeply missed in the Senate, and his seat is expected to be a easy pickup for Republicans, with Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) the heavy favorite to succeed him. This means that Democrats will need to defend all of their competitive seats in seven other states and win the White House in order to maintain a 50-50 tie in the Senate.
As for what’s next for Manchin, he’s vowed to become more involved with his daughter’s nonprofit group, Americans Together, which focuses on centrist politics. He’s also planning to travel the country, speaking about the importance of centrism and trying to bring the country together. “I just want to bring the country together,” he said, “and we’ll still do that.”
