Sen. Joe Manchin (D-VW) released a statement Thursday shortly after news broke that Gov. Jim Justice (R) filed paperwork to run for his Senate seat, claiming he “will win any race” he enters.
“I am laser focused on doing the job West Virginians elected me to do – lowering healthcare costs, protecting Social Security and Medicare, shoring up American energy security and getting our fiscal house in order,” Manchin said.
“But make no mistake, I will win any race I enter,” he added.
The statement was released shortly after news broke that West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) filed paperwork to run for the U.S. Senate ahead of an expected announcement at his luxury resort in White Sulphur Springs later in the day.
Justice, who will be facing off against Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) in the Republican primary, has close ties to former president Donald Trump, enjoys high approval ratings, and has personal wealth. He and Mooney will be vying for the former president’s endorsement.
On the other hand, Manchin, who is one of the more moderate Democrat senators and would be running for reelection in the deep red state, is appearing to still leave everyone guessing on his next moves and leaving options open for what he may run for, if anything, in the next election.
As his statement claims that he “will win any race” he enters, the senator has yet to announce his decision on if he will run for reelection to keep his seat, nor did he say if he would instead run for president or even as a Democrat in the upcoming election.
Manchin did, however, indicate that he may not announce his plans until later this year. Early this month, Manchin told NBC’s Meet the Press, “My filing date is January 15, 2024, and I’ll make my decision maybe a little bit before that, but not until the end of the year, I can assure you.”
Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jbliss@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter @JacobMBliss.