Senator Joe Manchin III's decision will open a seat in a deeply red state, threatening Democrats' hold on the Senate.
Senator Joe Manchin III, a conservative West Virginia Democrat known for bipartisan deal-making as well as stymieing some of his party's most ambitious policy goals, announced on Thursday that he would not seek re-election, undermining Democrats' chances of regaining control of the Senate next year.
Instead, Mr. Manchin, who is expected to face a strong Republican challenger for his Senate seat in a deeply red state, said he would continue to investigate whether there was a national appetite for a centrist third-party presidential bid
Many Democrats are concerned that such a run would jeopardize President Biden's chances of remaining in office.
"After months of deliberation and long conversations with my family, I believe in my heart of hearts that I have accomplished what I set out to do for West Virginia," said Mr. Manchin, 76, in a video news release. "I
"I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for re-election to the United States Senate,
what I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together."
The decision was an immediate setback for Democrats’ hopes of holding a majority in the Senate, where they currently control 51 votes — 48 Democrats