Joe Manchin Struggled with His Decision Not to Run

Hoppy Kercheval: “Manchin kept saying he would announce his political plans early next year, but there was increasing pressure for him to decide. Manchin was struggling mightily with the decision, flipping back and forth between running for re-election or trying a third-party run for president.”

“So, will he run for president? That depends. As he said, he will travel around the country and see if there is interest in a third way. The polls clearly show a large swath of voters who are dissatisfied with both Biden and Trump and are interested in another option. However, are there enough voters who want a middle way? Manchin must think so.”

New York Times: “What Mr. Manchin actually plans to do remains a mystery. His closest aides and advisers insist they don’t know. A conservative Democrat who has served as one of his party’s key votes in the Senate, he has long kept his own counsel on his biggest decisions and made up his mind at the last minute.”