Manchin, who has not yet declared a reelection campaign, could face off against current West Virginia Governor Jim Justice in 2024.
West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin released a vague statement on Thursday regarding his political future on the same day that Republican West Virginia Governor Jim Justice announced his own campaign to take over Manchin’s seat.
Manchin, the 75-year-old former governor who was first elected to the Senate in 2010, has gained notoriety in recent years for not always siding with Democrats and Democrat-introduced policies—including killing President Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” legislation and not being in favor of reforming the filibuster to pass voting rights legislation.
“I am laser focused on doing the job West Virginians elected me to do—lowering healthcare costs, protecting Social Security and Medicare, shoring American energy security and getting our fiscal house in order,” a statement released on Manchin’s behalf read Thursday.
