Joe Manchin says he is ‘absolutely’ considering a run for US president
- The Democrat senator has sent the strongest signal yet that he could mount a 2024 White House bid, a move that could shake up the race
- A Manchin candidacy could capitalise on the growing number of ‘double haters’ – voters who are dissatisfied with both Biden and Trump
West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin said he is considering launching a presidential campaign, moving closer toward a bid that could shake up the 2024 election.
“I will do anything I can to help my country, and you’re saying, ‘Does that mean you would consider it?’ Absolutely,” Manchin, a Democrat, said on Wednesday in an interview with NBC News.
The comments are the strongest signal Manchin has sent that he could mount an independent presidential run, a move likely to pull support from US President Joe Biden’s base of voters.
Manchin, 76, is set to go on a cross-country tour to listen to Americans’ concerns and said he would have to figure out if there is voter appetite for a moderate candidate before deciding whether to run. He announced last week he will not seek re-election to the Senate.
The senator is a Democrat representing a state where former US president Donald Trump beat Biden by nearly 40 percentage points in 2020.