Sen. Joe Manchin has intensified his criticism of President Biden’s leadership, prompting speculation that the independent-minded Democrat might challenge Biden as a third-party candidate in the 2024 presidential election.
Manchin has had a 12-year relationship with No Labels, a centrist political group working to gain ballot access in all 50 states to pave the way for a third-party presidential candidate.
Manchin praises No Labels as the only organization in Washington striving to encourage cooperation between Republicans and Democrats and believes that voters are desperate for less partisanship in politics.
Manchin, who has been a part of No Labels since December 2010, says the organization is “the only game in town that wants to bring people together and get Democrats and Republicans working together.”
When asked about the possibility of running on the No Labels ticket, he said, “people are starving, starving to work together.”
Manchin thinks that voters are tired of the constant conflict and arguments in politics, and they want politicians to focus on the country’s needs and accomplish something meaningful.
Although Manchin has not denied rumors of a potential presidential run as a third-party candidate, he has stated that he will not decide on his political future until the end of the year.
Manchin did not announce his decision to run for a third Senate term until January 23, 2018, just weeks into the election year.
He is up for re-election next year, and Senate Republicans believe they have secured a significant victory by recruiting popular Republican Gov. Jim Justice to run against him.
Speculation surrounding a Manchin presidential bid is based on the conventional wisdom that Justice would be a strong general election candidate and that Manchin may prefer to avoid a difficult battle against him in a Republican-leaning state by running against a weak incumbent president.
An NBC poll published last week revealed that 70% of Americans do not want Biden to run for a second term, while 60% do not want former President Trump to run for president.
Manchin’s response to these numbers is that “people are looking for something,” suggesting that the public wants an alternative to a rematch of the 2020 election.
Manchin has expressed disappointment with Biden’s handling of the law Congress passed last year to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in the energy sector, stating, “I know we can do better.”
The West Virginia senator’s harsh criticisms of Biden have further fueled speculation about a possible third-party challenge.
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Last week, Manchin made headlines when he announced that he would now vote to repeal the landmark climate and prescription drug reform law he authored last year because he believes Biden broke his word regarding its implementation.
The week prior, Manchin criticized Biden for a “deficiency of leadership” in addressing the federal debt and praised Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for proposing a plan to raise the debt limit and cut spending.
Manchin has expressed concerns about the Biden administration’s significant increases in spending for climate-related programs through the Inflation Reduction Act, accusing the administration of stretching its authorities to the limit.
Manchin’s frustration with the president is also fueled by Biden’s refusal to negotiate with McCarthy on linking fiscal reforms to the debt ceiling.
As speculation continues to swirl around Manchin’s political future, his recent criticisms of President Biden and affiliation with No Labels are fueling rumors of a potential third-party run in 2024.
With many Americans expressing dissatisfaction with the current political landscape, it remains to be seen whether Manchin will seize the opportunity to offer an alternative to the established two-party system.
However, should he choose to embark on a third-party presidential bid, it would undoubtedly be a challenging and unprecedented undertaking in modern American politics.
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