Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) announced Thursday that he will not run for reelection to the Senate in 2024.
"After months of deliberation and long conversation with my family," Manchin said in a video he posted to X, "I believe in my heart of hearts that I have accomplished what I set out to do for West Virginia. I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for reelection to the United States Senate."
Instead of campaigning for Senate, Manchin will travel across the country to "mobilize the middle," he said.
"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," Manchin said. "To the West Virginians who have put their trust in me and fought side by side to make our state better, it has been my honor of my life to serve you. Thank you."
National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman Sen. Steve Daines (R., Mont.) issued a terse statement in response to the news.
"We like our odds in West Virginia," Daines said.
Manchin, a moderate Democrat, has faced speculation that he would run for president in 2024. He flirted with a presidential run at a July event with centrist group No Labels, which has said it will announce whether it will run a third-party candidate by Super Tuesday, on March 5, 2024.
Manchin at the event said he was "not here running for president tonight" but also added that "if I get into the race, I’m going to win."
Sixteen percent of voters said they would consider voting for Manchin for president, a July poll found.