Joe Munchkin.
Posted on 02/16/2024 9:42:52 AM PST by billorites
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin said Friday that he is not running for president, according to his spokesman Jonathan Kott.
Manchin announced his decision in a speech at West Virginia University, as part of a national listening tour he was making.
“I will not be seeking a third-party run. I will not be involved in a presidential run,” he said in his speech in Morgantown.
The centrist Democrat who often bucked his party's leadership had been considering a run for the presidency and had said he thought it would be clear by March if there was a path for a third-party candidate this year.
His decision comes as the leadership of No Labels, a national political movement that could offer an independent presidential ticket in 2024, has worked privately to identify serious candidates to represent the group in the general election. Manchin was viewed as one of the top prospects.
Manchin is not running for reelection in 2024. His Senate seat in a heavily Republican state is expected to be a prime pickup opportunity for the GOP.
A group pushing for Manchin to partner with retiring Utah Sen. Mitt Romney to seek a third-party presidential bid filed paperwork last year to form a draft committee with the Federal Election Commission. Romney and Manchin did not sign on to the effort.
After Manchin announced last year that he would not run for reelection, he said he planned to travel the country "to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together.”
He visited New Hampshire, an early voting state in the presidential primaries, in January. The senator is scheduled to speak in Arizona, a political battleground state, on Saturday.
Democratic Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips said last month that he would consider running on a No Labels ticket, though he is still challenging Biden in the Democratic primary ahead of the party’s primary in Michigan.
Another leading No Labels prospect, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, last week ruled out a 2024 presidential bid as well, announcing a Senate bid instead.
It’s a bit early to warm up the Apr 1 jokes.
Mitt must have said no to being Joe’s VP.
Manchin has always been all talk and little results. He loves the limelight.
“Like he had a snowball’s chance in hell of being elected president.”
It’s not about winning. It’s about spoiling it for one side or the other. As such, I’m glad that he and Mittens aren’t doing this. The Dems have their loyal, locked-in, ballot-stuffing base that votes for them hell or high water. Manchin-Romney could have siphoned off moderate-to-conservative independents from Trump, just as Ross Perot took down Bush 41 in 1992.
Just so y’all know, I’m not either.
I will continue in my more honorable occupation as keyboardist in a house of ill repute.
What made him change his mind? Was it the howls of laughter yesterday when he suggested Pierre Delecto as a running mate?
Check cleared.
I’ve decided I’m not running for president in 2024. (Well, Mrs Magnum said I couldn’t)🙄
Another payoff.
Some insiders in the Dem party slipped him the word, “We got this Joe. No help wanted.”
Some insiders in the Dem party slipped him the word, “We got this Joe. No help wanted.”
Yeah, I was waiting with bated breath for that decision. 🥱
Nikki, are you watching?
I’m not going to date Taylor Swift.
Like anyone cares
Neither will I...
So what, Joe?
Joe Munchkin.
Well all you wimps can decide not to run because you don’t think you can win, but I WILL run for the office of President and I am pretty sure of at least two votes.
Vote one: My own
Vote two: I am reasonably sure I can bribe CLIFFORD (my dog) with a steak, plus he likes me anyway.
Confirmed that he’d hurt Biden more than Trump.
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