Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is still undecided on his political future, despite a looming deadline to run for reelection in 2024 or file to run for the presidency instead. He has been meeting with his family to discuss what he should do, as well as consulting former President Bill Clinton for his perspective.
Over Labor Day weekend, the Washington Post reported 76-year-old Manchin’s future was the subject of several meetings with his family in the Hamptons, one of which was a private sit-down meeting with Clinton.
REPUBLICAN THREAT BECOMES REAL FOR BIDEN AFTER IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY
There are reportedly three options on the table for the centrist senator. These include launching a West Virginia reelection campaign but as an independent, joining No Labels to run for president on a third-party ticket, or retiring altogether.
One thing for sure, according to the report, is that if he chooses to stay in politics, he will probably leave the Democratic Party.
Democratic donors are apparently pushing the senator to run for reelection in West Virginia, but his daughter, former pharmaceutical CEO Heather Bresch, wants him to seek the presidency via No Labels.
Manchin has been open in his support for the organization and its mission. In July, he headlined a town hall for the group in New Hampshire alongside former Utah Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman.
Running for president is something Clinton was reportedly adamant Manchin should not do. According to the former president, a third-party run from Manchin would give former President Donald Trump an advantage in 2024.
The meeting with Clinton was not planned. Instead, the West Virginia Democrat had heard that Clinton was in the area at the same time and requested it. The White House had apparently encouraged Clinton to discuss the subject with Manchin when the senator served as an obstacle to President Joe Biden passing certain legislation.
Manchin has been something of an annoyance for Senate Democrats, but the party can’t afford to lose him and put its advantage in the Senate in jeopardy. Despite Manchin’s refusal to announce a reelection campaign, Democratic groups have been cutting ads in West Virginia in support of him, pushing voters to tell him to run.
If Manchin wants to run for reelection, he must inform the state in January. He has said that he will make a decision by the end of 2023.
His consideration of a presidential run comes as the likely candidates to be nominated by the Republican and Democratic parties are Trump and Biden, respectively. He noted after the No Labels town hall that Biden had been “pushed too far left.”
“We’re here to make sure that the American people have an option, and the option is: Can you move the political parties off their respective sides?” he said during the summer event. “They’ve gone too far right and too far left.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
No Labels has said that it only intends to put forth a presidential ticket “in the event both major parties nominate presidential candidates that the vast majority of Americans don’t want.” So far, the party has gained ballot access in at least 10 states.
Manchin could not be reached by the Washington Examiner for comment.
