Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), a member of the Armed Services Committee and chair of the Energy Committee, announced Thursday he will not seek reelection in 2024.
The decision will play a major role in Democrats efforts to retain their majority in the Senate, with the centrist Manchin now stepping out of the race in deeply red West Virginia.
“After months of deliberation and long conversations with my family, I believe in my heart of hearts that I have accomplished what I set out to do for West Virginia. I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for re-election to the United States Senate, but what I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together,” Manchin said in his announcement on Thursday.
Manchin, who has served in the Senate since winning a special election in November 2010, also sits on the Appropriation Committee and leads SASC’s Cybersecurity Subcommittee.
In the last two Congress’ when Democrats held a 50-50 and now a 51-49 majority, Manchin’s vote was considered critical for moving forward on major legislation.
Most recently, Manchin voiced his opposition to the Appropriations Committee’s move to add $13.7 billion in emergency funding across fiscal year 2024 spending bills above the funding levels set by the debt ceiling agreement, to include $8 billion for defense (Defense Daily, July 20).
Manchin offered and ultimately withdrew an amendment to reverse the emergency spending measure, adding he believed it would be a “poison pill” to moving forward on the spending bills being considered.
“Unfortunately, it looks like yet another gimmick is being pursued this time outside the purview of the debt ceiling agreement right here in our own committee,” Manchin said at the time. “It’s just plain wrong. It takes us off the promising path that we have started on to get our fiscal house back in order.”
Both the Senate and House have yet to pass all 12 FY ‘24 appropriations bills, with the next government shutdown deadline looming on Nov. 17.
Manchin has also been a strong proponent of reestablishing the Chief Management Officer position at the Pentagon, which was included in the Senate’s version of the next National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
After the Senate voted to pass its $886 billion FY ‘24 NDAA in late June, Manchin lauded the bill’s inclusion of support for West Virginia National Guard programs, the creation of a Cyber Intelligence Center and its authorization of $5 million in funding for Special Operations cyber development.
Manchin has also pushed for reforming the process for permitting new energy projects.
“In the United States, it often takes between five and 10 years — sometimes longer — to get critical energy infrastructure projects approved, putting us years behind allies like Canada, Australia, and more recently the EU, who each have policies designed to complete permitting in three years or less. It is clear that without comprehensive permitting reform we will never ensure lasting American energy security and independence and will delay progress on environmental goals,” Manchin said of the Building American Energy Security Act of 2023 he introduced in May.
Republicans running for West Virginia Senate seat in 2024 include Governor Jim Justice and Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.), while Democrat Zachary Shrewsbury, a Marine Corps veteran, has also entered the race.