Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia is considering rejoining the Democratic Party to vie for its presidential nomination after President Joe Biden announced he would drop out of the race, according to an adviser.
Jonathan Kott, who previously served as Manchin’s communications director, said the senator is “seriously considering” running for president as a Democrat but did not share more information about his plans. The senator, who turns 77 next month, was the first elected official to express interest in challenging Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination.
Manchin would face an uphill battle if he were to proceed with a presidential bid. The senator left the Democratic Party in May to become an independent, and long irked his fellow Democrats by blocking major parts of Biden’s agenda and pursuing deals with Republicans. Harris, 59, was endorsed by Biden minutes after he announced he would not seek reelection, and moved rapidly to rally key party members behind her bid. There’s little prospect that Manchin would be able to coax delegates pledged to Biden to defect from Harris.
One of Manchin’s first appearances will be a non-traditional one for someone who has indicated interest in a Democratic presidential run: he is sitting for an interview Monday on conservative-leaning Fox News with host Bret Baier, according to Kott.