Rumors Are Swirling After Joe Manchin’s Private Meeting

This week, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin sparked rumors about a possible presidential run after meeting with a group of Iowa community and business leaders in Washington on Wednesday, Axios reported.

Manchin, who has repeatedly clashed with Senate Democrats and President Biden, has not ruled out the possibility that he might run for president in 2024, nor has he said if he will run for reelection in the Senate.

Previously, a spokesperson from the senator’s office told the Washington Examiner that Manchin is considering the best way to serve West Virginia and the country. The spokesperson asserted that Manchin would “win whatever race he enters.”

While Iowa will not kick off the 2024 Democrat primary season this coming year, it remains an influential state in presidential politics.

In his Wednesday meeting with the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Manchin touted his centrist political brand and emphasized the need to start tackling many of the political problems in the country. 

In describing his politics, the West Virginia Democrat told the group that he is “fiscally responsible and socially compassionate,” adding that he believes “most Americans are,” according to Axios. He said he believes government should be a “partner,” not a “provider.”

However, Manchin was cagey on whether he had presidential ambitions.

When asked by Axios if he was interested in running for president, Manchin demurred, saying his “main concern” is saving the nation and working together to protect the quality of life and values of the United States. He said we must “fight for the reasonable, responsible middle,” and right now, nobody is doing that.

Last week, the Washington Examiner reported that Senator Manchin had a call with the third-party “No Labels” group in which he expressed frustration with the partisanship in the United States, calling it “dysfunctional.”

No Labels founder Nancy Jacobson told Axios that voters aren’t interested in a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in 2024 which could open the door for a third-party candidate.