by Harold Hutchison
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia became the latest prominent Democrat to decline to endorse President Joe Biden should he run for re-election in 2024 during an interview on Chris Cuomo’s podcast Thursday.
“If Joe Biden runs again and he is the Democratic nominee, depending on who the Republican nominee is, we will just have to wait and see,” Manchin told Chris Cuomo on the latter’s podcast, according to WBOY. “I am not predicting anything or how I would support or not support, or get involved or not. But I can tell you this, whoever the elected president is – Democrat, Republican, independent – every one of us should pray they succeed.”
In today’s exclusive with Sen. Joe Manchin…he’s refusing to back President Biden for a second term in ‘24. Watch now: https://t.co/I2mYPtu9XG
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) July 28, 2022
“I don’t think I have ever heard a sitting senator that is a member of a party not automatically say: ‘Oh yeah, the sitting president is in my party, I’m for them,’” Cuomo said in response. NewsNation announced Tuesday Cuomo would host a primetime show this fall.
Manchin dodged the question.
“Well, I don’t know what to tell you on that,” Manchin said. “I’m always for the right person when they’re running.”
Manchin also doubted a Democrat could carry West Virginia.
“I believe that basically, the people will make a decision state by state,” he said.
Other Democrats have hesitated to endorse a potential Biden re-election bid in recent weeks. Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri both dodged questions about endorsing Biden for a second term.
Manchin recently struck a deal with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to back legislation to address prescription drug prices, address energy prices and combat climate change.
Manchin did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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Harold Hutchison is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Joe Manchin” by Senator Joe Manchin III. Photo “Joe Biden” by The White House. Background Photo “White House” by Ad Meskens. CC BY-SA 3.0.
