Joshua Green, Gregory Korte, Nancy Cook | Bloomberg News (TNS)
As a Democratic stalwart in deep-red West Virginia, Senator Joe Manchin ranked among his party’s most valuable politicians, helping deliver large parts of Joe Biden’s agenda in a narrowly divided Senate.
But his announcement Thursday that he won’t seek reelection next year, and will travel the country to create “a movement to mobilize the middle,” has raised Democratic alarm that he could mount an independent presidential run — and move from vital Biden ally to a potential threat to the president’s reelection.
Manchin’s decision could be a double blow to Democrats. He was likely the only electable candidate from West Virginia willing to caucus with Democrats, and could also soon be poised to add to Biden’s mounting difficulties if he launches an independent or third-party campaign for the White House.
“Anybody running from the center would be dangerous for” Biden, says Jim Kessler, an executive vice president of Third Way, a centrist Democratic group of which Manchin was once an honorary co-chair. “Biden is relying on people from the center to get reelected.”
A Manchin candidacy could capitalize on the growing number of “double haters” — voters who are dissatisfied with both Biden and Donald Trump — which now stands at 19% of the electorate in swing states, according to the Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll released Thursday.
Right now, that void is being filled by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The poll shows that Kennedy’s independent campaign attracts supporters about equally from Trump and Biden supporters, owing to his family’s Democratic pedigree combined with anti-vaccine rhetoric that many Republicans find appealing. However, an independent bid by Manchin, an ex-Democrat, could damage Biden much more than Trump.
‘Listening Tour’
If he does decide to run for president, Manchin would have a head start when it comes to resources. His campaign committee…
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