West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin Says He Won’t Seek Re-election, Dimming Democratic Hopes Of Retaining Senate Control

On Thursday, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) announced that he will not be seeking re-election in 2024. For months, his fellow senators had been speculating that he would not run.

Had he run for re-election, Manchin would have faced an uphill fight to retain his seat in the reddest of red states.

This development puts Democrats in a difficult position in their efforts to retain their majority in the Senate during next year’s elections.

The news of Manchin’s impending departure has dampened the spirits of Senate Democrats, who were excited after their victories in important state races in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia on Tuesday.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has worked to convince sitting senators to run for reelection in challenging races.

Democrats now face a challenge – they must win in seven states that typically vote Republican or are swing states to maintain control of the Senate.

Although Manchin’s retirement was not unexpected, it has come earlier than some anticipated, as he had previously stated that he would wait until the end of the year to make a decision and appeared to still be considering his options as he left Capitol Hill on Thursday.

This development comes against the backdrop of growing concerns among Democrats about the low approval rating of President Joe Biden.