Retiring West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is leaving the Democratic Party and has formally registered in his state as an independent, stoking speculation he may run for elected office again in November.

“Today, our national politics are broken and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground,” Manchin said in a statement issued shortly after West Virginia radio host Hoppy Kercheval broke the news. “To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority.”

To qualify for West Virginia’s August 1 filing deadline for U.S. Senate and governor, would-be candidates must register for their preferred party label by June 1. Manchin could run for his current seat as an Independent, though defeating Republican Senate nominee Jim Justice, the current governor, would be tough in a state that Donald Trump carried by nearly 40 points in 2020.

Manchin also ruled out running for his old job as governor earlier this week, telling local reporters on Wednesday he plans to support Democratic gubernatorial nominee Steve Williams. “He’s been a friend of mine for 40 years, and we’ve worked together,” Manchin said. “I know how good he is, I know how competent he is, and I know how hard he’ll work. So, I’ve been supporting Steve.”