Manchin stokes 2024 rumors with announcement he’ll appear at crucial event

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is set to appear at a New Hampshire forum next month, further stoking rumors of a White House bid because the event is typically reserved for presidential candidates.

Manchin will speak at the “Politics & Eggs” event hosted by the New England Council and the New Hampshire Institute of Politics on Jan. 12, sparking continued speculation that the West Virginia Democrat could be considering a last-minute presidential run next year. Manchin has left the door open to a White House bid, telling CNN last month he is considering a run but has not made a final decision.

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Manchin will attend the event to begin his new organization’s national listening tour. The organization, Americans Together, is designed to create a platform for voters in the middle as a way to “build a bridge between popular will and political outcomes.”

Manchin announced last month he would not be running for reelection to the Senate next year, raising eyebrows about what the West Virginia Democrat might do next — all the while reigniting fears among Democrats that his entry into the presidential race could cost President Joe Biden the White House in 2024.

Even if Manchin did run in 2024, it’s not clear whether he would run as an independent candidate or if he’d join forces with some third-party group such as No Labels. The West Virginia Democrat has previously indicated he would only consider a No Labels ticket if it had a viable path to the presidency and had ballot access in all 50 states, noting he would only enter the presidential race if he could win. No Labels has qualified for ballot access in 12 states as of last month.

No Labels has garnered criticism from some Democrats who argue a third-party ticket would “spoil” the election for Biden by siphoning votes away from the incumbent, handing the White House to former President Donald Trump. Manchin pushed back against that notion, arguing if he runs, it won’t negatively affect the race.

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“I’ve never been a spoiler in my life of anything, and I would never be a spoiler now,” Manchin told NBC’s Meet the Press last month.

Manchin has not said when he plans to make a decision, noting a determination would likely come around Super Tuesday in early March. The first bout of caucuses and primary elections begins in January, giving the West Virginia Democrat a tight timeline to make a decision.