Just Sunday morning, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin (I) was calling on President Joe Biden to pass the torch and telling CNN’s Jake Tapper that he believed Democrats should employ an “open process” to choose a new presidential nominee, suggesting his neighboring governors Andy Beshear (KY) and Josh Shapiro (PA) might be well suited to such an endeavor. (This was prior to the announcement from Biden that he no longer intends to seek reelection.)
.@Sen_JoeManchin calls for an “open process” for Democrats to choose a new nominee in an interview with @jaketapper: “I have got two tremendous governors right next door to me, in Andy Beshear in Kentucky and Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania.” pic.twitter.com/v5JNYK3vgg
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) July 21, 2024
BREAKING: President Joe Biden Ends Reelection Bid, Will Remain As POTUS
What Happens Now?
Early Sunday evening, however, came news that Manchin is considering re-registering as a Democrat in order to seek the nomination himself.
Sources close to Sen Joe Manchin, independent of WV, say he’s considering re-registering as a Democrat and throwing his hat into the ring
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 21, 2024
Tapper noted on X:
Sources close to Sen Joe Manchin, independent of WV, say he’s considering re-registering as a Democrat and throwing his hat into the ring
The Bulwark/MSNBC’s Sam Stein shared a similar report:
Confirmed: Manchin is considering re-registering as a Democrat to run against Kamala Harris for the presidential nomination.
— Sam Stein (@samstein) July 21, 2024
Confirmed: Manchin is considering re-registering as a Democrat to run against Kamala Harris for the presidential nomination.
Kamala Harris Reacts to Biden’s POTUS Endorsement,
While the DNC Chair Leaves Out Her Name
NEW DEVELOPMENT: Harris Files With FEC to Take Biden’s Place on the Democrat Ticket
One should note that Manchin is simply rumored to be “considering” such a move. With multiple Democrats seeming to be circling the wagons around Vice President Kamala Harris, will he buck the trend and actually mount a challenge? We’ll know soon enough.