Outgoing West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin is not running for president in 2024.
Speculation surrounding the retiring Democrat had flared in recent months, climaxing yesterday when he said he would consider picking Mitt Romney to be his running mate if he mounted a third-party bid.
The Hill has more:
The West Virginia senator, one of the most moderate Democrats in the Senate, already announced that he would not seek another term for his Senate seat, but he had previously not ruled out running for president.
The potential bid had spurred fears among Democrats that Manchin could've taken votes away from President Biden and acted as a spoiler.
Manchin had appeared at events for the organization No Labels, which is overseeing a ballot access initiative for a potential independent bid in November.
He is expected to explain his decision in a speech Friday afternoon at West Virginia University.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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