West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III, who would have been among the most vulnerable incumbents up in 2024, has decided to leave the Senate at the end of his current term.
The announcement is a blow to Democrats’ uphill fight to hold onto control of the Senate, since Manchin, one of the most conservative members of the caucus, could have been the only person to win in a state that has trended increasingly Republican.
“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,” Manchin said in a video message. “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, but 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.”
