In a candid interview on Thursday with West Virginia radio host Hoppy Kercheval on “Talkline,” West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) disclosed he is “thinking seriously” about parting ways with the Democratic Party.

With the 2024 election on the horizon, Manchin finds himself at a crossroads: will he campaign for a fourth Senate term or make a bid for the presidency as a third-party candidate?

Manchin candidly stated that the Democratic label has “become so bad” on the national scene, emphasizing his alignment with West Virginia Democrats rather than those in Washington.

“You’ve heard me say a million times I’m not a Washington Democrat,” he expressed, hinting at his mounting disillusionment with national party politics.

“I’ve been thinking about that for quite some time. I haven’t made any decisions whatsoever on my political direction. I want to make sure that my voice is truly an independent voice,” Manchin said.

“When I do speak, I want to be able to speak honestly about basically the extremes of the Democrat and Republican Party that’s harming our nation,” he added.

Notably, this statement comes after Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) declared her departure from the Democratic Party to register as an Independent last December.

However, Manchin hasn’t solidified his decision, saying to Kercheval, “When I get ready to make a decision, I’ll come see you.”

RELATED: Sens. Manchin and Tuberville Champion Bipartisan Legislation that Changes College Sports

Manchin is pondering a run for the presidency backed by No Labels, a bipartisan centrist group that aspires to raise $70 million to introduce an independent third-party candidate in the upcoming presidential ballot.

This decision weighs heavily on Manchin, especially as the senior senator from West Virginia, in a state which rallied significantly behind former President Trump in past elections.

A poll by the East Carolina Center for Survey Research conducted in May revealed Manchin lagging 22 percentage points behind West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) in a potential Senate contest. Before facing Manchin, Justice must first triumph over Rep. Alex Mooney (W.Va.) in the GOP primary.

Several analysts and politicians, including Democratic strategist David Axelrod, have wondered whether Manchin might perceive a presidential run as a strategic exit from the Senate, avoiding a potential defeat in his home state.

However, some colleagues, even across party lines, have cautioned that a Manchin presidential bid could inadvertently bolster Trump’s chances. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), a known Trump critic, stated last month, “The No Labels effort would elect Donald Trump.”

But Manchin contested these projections, explaining, “I don’t see that favoring either side, because you just can’t tell how this is going to break.”

“If come January and February of next year these are still the main contenders, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, that’s a whole other scenario,” he said.

“If they are not — and it could break between now and then — that changes the game completely,” he argued.

He emphasized the importance of the moderate voice in contemporary politics and expressed concern over its disappearance. “The bottom line is, ‘Will the middle speak up? Does the middle have a voice?’” Manchin said.

According to Manchin, many “moderate, centrist Republicans” feel unheard amidst the powerful Trump narrative in the GOP.

At the same time, he nostalgically talked about Democratic Party which “he grew up with” used to be “socially compassionate and fiscally responsible.” Now, Manchin asserts those Democrats are left behind. “They’ve got nowhere to go,” he added.

Seeking a return to traditional party values, Manchin conveyed his desire for a movement that would restore the essence of both major parties.

“We could make a big, big splash, and maybe bring the traditional parties of the Democratic and Republican Party [to] what they used to be, back to what they should be today,” he said.

Citing radical shifts in both, he said, “I can’t accept either party, to be honest with you.”

Manchin’s decision could very well change the trajectory of the 2024 presidential election. It is likely he will bide his time to see how things shake out with Biden’s family corruption problems, not to mention his obvious age issues, and Trump’s legal battles.