West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin is showing signs that he's considering entering the 2024 presidential campaign as a third-party candidate.
Manchin is scheduled to attend a July 17 event in Manchester, New Hampshire, hosted by No Labels, the centrist group announced Wednesday. Former Utah Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman will join Manchin as keynote speakers in the first of several town hall gatherings hosted by the group.
No Labels is a centrist group exploring the possibility of fielding a third-party candidate in the upcoming presidential election.
"It is clear that most Americans are exceedingly frustrated by the growing divide in our political parties and toxic political rhetoric from our elected leaders," Manchin said in the No Labels press release.
"Our political discourse is lacking engaged debates around common sense solutions to solve the pressing issues facing our nation. I am looking forward to modeling this type of conversation with my good friend, Gov. Huntsman, and the No Labels community. The things that unite Americans are much stronger than the things that divide us and I am confident that will be evident throughout our discussion."
Talk of Manchin possible heading a third-party ticket unnerves many Democrats, who worry that a three-way race will strengthen former President Donald Trump's bid to return to the office.
"No Labels equals Trump," Greg Schneiders, a former aide to President Jimmy Carter who now runs a polling group, told The Washington Post. "It is going to affect the race and it is going to affect it negatively for Biden, and it is probably going to elect Donald Trump."
Manchin, a moderate in a party becoming more and more progressive, has angered many on the far left.
He refused to consider lifting the Senate filibuster to pass pro-abortion legislation, and played hardball late last year when with President Joe Biden was trying to push through a climate and social spending bill.
If he chooses to run for reelection, Manchin figures to be in a tough fight in his home red state, which Trump won by nearly 40 percentage points over Biden in 2020.
As for a possible presidential run, Manchin told The Washington Post in an article published April 2, "I don’t rule myself in and I don’t rule myself out."
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that former Missouri Democrat U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt is expected to announce a group next week specifically to battle the No Labels effort.
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