Congressman not running for re-election, Democratic majority threatened

Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia said on November 9 that he would not seek re-election in 2024 "after many months of consideration and discussion" with his family, according to AP. "I believe in my heart that I have accomplished what I set out to do for West Virginia. I have made one of the most difficult decisions of my life," Manchin said on November 9.

Thượng nghị sĩ không tái tranh cử, thế đa số của đảng Dân chủ bị đe dọa - Ảnh 1. — Senator Joe Manchin

The 76-year-old senator's decision opens a golden opportunity for Republicans to nominate a candidate to fill the seat that will be vacated next year. Democrats hold a narrow majority in the Senate, with 51 seats to 49 for Republicans.

Electing another senator will be a difficult task for Democrats in West Virginia, where nearly 69% of voters chose Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential race. The state voted consistently Democratic for decades before turning red and becoming one of Trump’s most fervent supporters, according to the AP. For the past few years, Manchin has been the lone Democrat in West Virginia’s state office.

Republican Rep. Alex Mooney jumped into the race to replace Manchin just two weeks after winning his fifth term in the House in November 2022. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a two-term incumbent, also entered the race this year and was endorsed by former President Trump.

Manchin, who was elected to the Senate in 2010 and is chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is a moderate who has often blocked President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda. However, he played a key role in passing Biden’s climate law, the Deflation Reduction Act, last year. The White House issued a statement praising Manchin’s “real progress” in his career, saying the two men had worked together to accomplish much for hardworking families.

Senator Manchin's announcement that he will not seek re-election has fueled speculation that he may consider running for president next year as an independent candidate.

Serving the people has and continues to drive him every day, he said. "What I'm going to do is go around the country and pitch to everyone to see if there's an interest in creating a movement that mobilizes the middle class and brings Americans together. We need to take America back and not let this hate that divides us push us further apart," Manchin said.

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