Manchin got played by his party, and they effectively ended his career.. (though he was likely dead anyway in a Presidential election year in 2024) he’s now unelectable in WV, at least in any statewide race, so any further political career for him will have to be in some sort of appointed post...
He knows Trump will win WV by 40 points like he did in 2020, possibly 50 points or more in 2024... hell he likely would have lost in 18 had WV Republicans actually put up a decent candidate.
Anyway, he was fully betrayed by his party, but his political future is stilled tied to that party so, expect him, now that he is out of a Job come next Jan, to spend this year trying to make sure he can get what he can get from them on his way out the door.
He’ll happily play the lap dog that Trump is evil, now that he doesn’t have to face his constituents again. Honestly I expected Manchin to put a primary challenge to Biden this time around... but I guess the powers that be Paid Him Off to keep him out of the fray because they know Biden is a horribly weak candidate and any sort of true primary would harm the parties chances even further.
Patrick Morrisey is a very reliable conservative; too bad Mountaineers rejected him for Senator in 2018. Will they back him now for governor?