Longtime Democrat Sen Joe Manchin opens up on 'not running' for office after registering as independent

CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA: West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, 76, has announced he has no plans to run for any office this cycle.

The longtime conservative Democrat declared on Friday, May 31, that he is registering as an independent, citing a commitment to bridging political divides.

Sen Joe Manchin's criticism for 'partisan extremism'

Manchin officially changed his registration to unaffiliated on Friday, a day after former President Donald Trump was convicted on 34 felonies in hush money case.

His decision was for his dedication to unity in a deeply divided political landscape.

He accused both Republicans and Democrats of "partisan extremism," which he believes is jeopardizing democracy and preventing meaningful compromise.

"From my first day in public service in 1982, I have always focused on doing what's best for my state and my country, without regard to party or politics," Manchin stated as MEAWW reported.

Sen Joe Manchin's finds no common ground among parties

Manchin also lamented, "Today, our national politics are broken and neither party is willing to compromise to find common ground."

In response to this political climate, he decided to register as an independent.

"To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America's sensible majority," he declared.

Sen Joe Manchin says 'all doors are open'

While there was speculation that Manchin might consider a gubernatorial bid, he clarified his current intentions in a new interview with Metro News.

“I am not running,” he stated, though he left the door open for future possibilities, adding, “I’ve never closed doors. You don’t know what the political arena is going to have," he said.

"You don’t know what’s going to happen in this toxic political world. So I’ve never shut down any options whatsoever," he added. 

Despite confirming that he has no intentions of running for any elected office, Manchin did not entirely rule out the possibility of a future campaign.

Sen Joe Manchin says he has no intention of running for elected office  

Manchin described his desire to remain flexible, saying, “But I have no intentions of running for any political office, elected office.”

The senator also voiced his support for Steve Williams, the Democratic nominee for the West Virginia gubernatorial seat, distancing himself from the speculation about his own potential candidacy.

His decision to register as an independent, he insisted, was not about gaining ballot access free from party constraints. “I’ve always been independent,” Manchin remarked. “You know, I’ve never been wedded to any party," he said as The Hill reported.

Internet calls Sen Joe Manchin 'flip-flopper'

Internet is speculating Manchin might be the President Joe Biden's VP pick, however, some say he is a flip-flopper unable to understand. 

One X (formerly Twitter) user opined, "Nobody cares about Joe Manchin’s opinion any longer. We only cared when he acted like he was a Democrat, and even then only because we never knew which way he was gonna vote. Republicans don’t care about his opinion. Independents care even less."

"Awww, Manchin got his pockets hurt by Biden helping Americans instead of millionaires and corporations," wrote another.

"Please god may he close the door because he's as bad as Republicans, benefitting from his constituents' suffering and voting against legislation that could've really helped them," write another. 

"Lol he wants to stay relevant so bad," one more chipped in. "Sounds like he’s hoping to become VP," wrote one more. "Trumps VP pick?" asked one more. 

 "He’s a flip flopper. I don’t understand this guy. He’s kind of all over the place," wrote one more. 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.