Manchin won’t seek reelection to Senate

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.​​, said Thursday he would not seek reelection in 2024. Manchin, 76, said he deliberated with his family for months before making the decision. He said he had accomplished what he had set out to do for the state of West Virginia. A Catholic, Manchin has considered himself to be pro-life, although he was “disappointed” by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling last year.

How will Manchin’s decision affect the political landscape? His stepping down marks the end of an era for West Virginia, which had voted blue for decades before becoming a strongly Republican state. For the last few years, Manchin has been the only Democrat elected to statewide office. Manchin’s decision to step down also shows the challenges Democrats will face this year in keeping their 51-49 Senate majority. Meanwhile, a committee has filed paperwork for a possible third-party presidential campaign ticket featuring Manchin and Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah.

Dig deeper: Read Leo Briceno’s report in The Stew about Manchin stepping down.