CHARLESTON, W.Va. — U.S. Senator Joe Manchin is speaking out on the day that Gov. Jim Justice is expected to announce he’s seeking Manchin’s Senate seat.
Manchin released a statement Thursday morning:
“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. But make no mistake, I will win any race I enter.”
The statement comes a day after Justice criticized Manchin for helping to author the Inflation Reduction Act and in recent days threatening to to work toward its repeal.
“Joe had to be out of his mind to go along with this, and on top of that it could very well cost tens of thousands of job opportunities in this state. There’s no question,” Justice said during his Wednesday media briefing.
Of the suggestion that the act could be repealed, Justice said, “What’s going to happen then? What is going to happen? I promise you what’s going to happen. Then that quick, Biden just vetoes it. And it’s law. I mean, for crying out loud there is no recourse hardly here.”
Justice has a 5 p.m. Thursday announced at his Greenbrier Resort. He’ll announce a run for Senate next year. He’ll face opposition in the 2024 GOP primary including five-term Congressman Alex Mooney.
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. But make no mistake, I will win any race I enter.
— Joe Manchin (@JoeManchinWV) April 27, 2023
When asked by MetroNews Thursday afternoon about Manchin’s statement, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, who will join Justice at his Senate announcement said, “He’s a formidable political figure in our state as he always has been and I would assume that whatever he decides to do he’ll be tough. But I think Governor Justice will be tough as well.”
Manchin hasn’t announced if he’ll seek reelection. There’s been speculation that Manchin may run for president as an Independent.
Chris Stirewalt of The Dispatch, The American Enterprise Institute, said Thursday on MetroNews “Talkline” there is a case to be made that Manchin may seek the presidency.
“This much is true,” Stirewalt said during an appearance on MetroNews “Talkline” Thursday. “That America despairs a rematch of 2020 and if that is the case then there needs to be an alternative and particularly there needs to be an alternative that prevents Donald Trump, specifically, from entering the White House.”
Stirewalt said any Manchin presidential run would be a big long shot but it may be the best option.
“If your Manchin and you love being in the fray, you love being on the national stage, do you want to do that and have a wild ride across these great United States or do you want to go back to West Virginia and slug it out?”
Manchin said in an interview earlier this year that he has no plans on running for governor again in West Virginia.