Senator Joe Manchin leaves the Democratic Party and registers as an independent

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who has spent his entire decades-long political career as a Democrat, said Friday he is leaving the party and registering as an independent, raising speculation about whether he might run for another term in the Senate or to governor this fall.

“To remain true to myself and remain committed to putting country before party, I have decided to register as an independent, with no party affiliation, and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority,” Manchin said in a statement.

Manchin’s move was the first reported by longtime West Virginia radio host Hoppy Kercheval.

Last November, Manchin announced he would not seek a third term in 2024.

The deadline for an independent to register to run for public office in West Virginia this year is Aug. 1, according to the secretary of state’s office.

Manchin, 76, served as governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010, when he won a special election to fill a Senate seat left vacant by the death of legendary Democrat Robert Byrd. Manchin won a full term in the Senate in 2012 and a second term in 2018.

But he won the race over Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey by just over 20,000 votes, or 3 percentage points, as the state turned ruby ​​red, boosted by Donald Trump’s rise in 2016. In 2020, Trump captured nearly 70% to vote in West Virginia.

Earlier this month, Trump-backed incumbent Gov. Jim Justice won the Republican nomination for Senate and was the favorite to succeed Manchin in the fall. But Manchin’s surprise move could derail the race if he decides to run for re-election as an independent.

A more likely scenario is that Manchin seeks his old job as governor — a potential run that would pit him in a rematch with the Republican candidate, Morrisey, as well as the Democratic candidate, Huntington Mayor Steve Williams.

If he is considering an independent run for either office, Manchin will have until June 1 to change his party affiliation; West Virginia state law allows the secretary of state to refuse to certify a candidate if he or she is registered to vote for a different party within 60 days of filing for candidacy.