U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) sought to clear up any confusion after reports that he would mount a challenge to Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic Party’s nomination.
Following President Joe Biden’s announced end of his re-election campaign on Sunday, CNN reported that Manchin was considering returning to the Democrat Party in order to challenge Harris who was endorsed by Biden as the presumptive nominee of the party.
“Sources close to Sen. Joe Manchin, independent of WV, say he’s considering re-registering as a Democrat and throwing his hat into the ring,” CNN’s Jake Tapper wrote on social media.
Manchin mulls challenge to Harris https://t.co/ncsQ6IHN4x via @BIZPACReview
— BPR based (@DumpstrFireNews) July 22, 2024
But on Monday, the longtime Democrat-turned-Independent made the rounds on media outlets to say that he had no such plans.
“Let me make it very clear to you, Tony, I am not going to be a candidate for president,” he told Tony Dokoupil on “CBS Mornings.”
“I am a candidate basically speaking for the middle of this country. There are 51% of the people who are registered to participate in an election in America that basically are in the same party I am: Independent.”
Sen. Joe Manchin tells CBS Mornings he will not run for the Democratic nomination against VP Harris.
“I am not going to be a candidate for president,” Manchin said. But he said he would like to see a competitive process to choose the nominee. https://t.co/3YTpiD0gOE pic.twitter.com/fQPvGjaugu
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) July 22, 2024
Co-host Gayle King pressed Manchin, suggesting as some have said that he is just trying to get “attention.”
“I’m a little confused. On the one hand, you say you’re pursuing the process; on the other hand, you say, no, I’m not a candidate this time,” she said.
“I am not running for office,” Manchin replied. “I could not believe that there was not going to be a primary process or a mini-process. Other countries do it. I’m not looking for — I don’t need that as far as in my life.”
“I’m not going to be a candidate for president,” the senator said. “I don’t need that in my life.”
CNN’s Tapper noted other names that had been floated as possible replacements for Biden had now come out in support of Harris.
Other Democrats said to have been considering a run should Biden bow out rallying around VP Harris… Gov Newsom, now Secretary Buttigieg https://t.co/f7gHRT1xAl
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 21, 2024
In an appearance on “CNN This Morning” Monday, Manchin insisted he’s “pursuing the process” and advocating for a competitive process.
“People are looking in the middle. Where do you? Well, we’d like to see that. We’re not going to be able to see a vigorous, even a three-week primary process,” Manchin said. “No one else is willing to speak up. They’ll say, ‘Well, we’re falling behind. We’re just going to get in line. I’m sorry, I don’t agree with that.”
(Video Credit: CNN)
He told Kasie Hunt that “it’s almost impossible” for him to win since he departed the Democrat Party. He acknowledged that people are “pushing” for him to run but Manchin said it’s time to pass the torch to a “new generation.”
The retiring senator addressed the rumors again in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“I’m not intending to run for any political office,” he told co-host Mika Brzezinski when she asked about the “conflicting reports.”
He contended that Harris would be “strengthened” by an open process to choose a nominee, noting that a primary would identify the “cream of the crop of a new generation.”
(Video Credit: MSNBC)
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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