Joe Manchin Considers Running Against Kamala Harris Despite Her Departure From Democrats

Independent West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is reportedly considering a return to the Democratic Party following Joe Biden’s departure.

CNN’s Jake Tapper revealed in a post on X Sunday that the 76-year-old was even considering “jumping into the race,” citing sources close to Manchin.

These rumors were apparently confirmed by CBS’s Robert Costa, who, citing two unidentified sources, said that Democratic donors and officials were “reaching out to Sen. Joe Manchin to consider running for the presidential nomination.”

Costa later wrote: “Manchin is now considering re-registering as a Democrat to offer Democrats an alternative to VP Harris.” He added that “no final decision has been made but discussions are continuing tonight within his inner circle.”

Manchin is reportedly mulling his decision and will be talking to donors and officials about his chances in the coming days.

“We’re facing a Democratic Party in convulsions tonight,” Costa said.

Manchin has not publicly stated his intentions, but news of his potential presidential bid comes hours after he called on Biden to drop out of the race and “pass the torch to a new generation.”

“I hope that happens, because I think it will leave him with a tremendous legacy as one of the greatest leaders we’ve ever had,” he told CNN’s Jake Tapper. State of the Union“I say this, and it is with a heavy heart that I have made the decision that I think it is time to pass the torch to a new generation.”

The Daily Beast has reached out to Manchin’s office for comment.

This isn’t the first time Manchin has flirted with running for leader of the free world: In 2023, he floated a third-party bid alongside the centrist group No Labels, but ultimately abandoned the idea.

“Not really unexpected,” Rachel Maddow said on MSNBC Sunday night, citing two sources who also spoke with NBC News.

“He has long sparked and fueled speculation that he might one day become a presidential candidate.”

Asked by Tapper Sunday morning how the party should make its decision on a new nominee, Manchin said it should be an “open process.”

“I think we have a lot of talent on the bench,” Manchin said, while naming two specific governors he thought could take the job: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

“I have a soft spot for governors because a governor can’t afford to be partisan,” he said.

Manchin announced in May that he was leaving the Democrats and registering as an independent, after decades of service to the party.

“My commitment to doing everything I can to bring our country together has led me to register as an independent with no party affiliation,” he wrote on X at the time.

He later said of his decision to leave the party: “I can talk to both sides without having a brand. Brands have gotten so bad that if you have a D next to your name… you’re supposed to hate Republicans. If you have an R next to your name, you’re supposed to hate Democrats. I don’t hate either side and neither side is our enemy. We have to come together as a country.”