Sen. Joe Manchin says he won’t run for president but calls for Democratic “mini primary” now that Biden’s out

Sen. Joe Manchin, the longtime West Virginia Democrat who recently became an independent, told “CBS Mornings” on Monday that he won’t be running for president.

“I am not going to be a candidate for president,” Manchin said a day after President Biden dropped out of the race. “I am a candidate for basically speaking to the middle of this country.” 

Manchin called for Democrats to hold a “mini primary” to “find out if you have the strongest candidate,” but added that it now “seems to be predetermined by President Biden.” 

Mr. Biden has thrown his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris, although he cannot appoint a nominee. While many Democrats are already lining up behind Harris, a number of prominent members of the Democratic Party — including leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries — have not yet thrown their support behind her. If Harris gets support from party leaders and delegates, she could be nominated as soon as the Democrats hold their virtual roll-call vote on Aug. 1. 

If Democrats do not line up behind a candidate, there could be an open convention, in which a candidate would be chosen by delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. 

Manchin suggested that Harris is too far left, but he said “let’s see if she comes back.” 

“You know, a person can be in one position and make a change, or a direction change,” Manchin said. “I would like to see that direction change. And let’s see if that would happen. But unless you have a contested primary, or some type of contest, you’re going to get what you’ve got.”

Manchin, who is not running for reelection to the Senate, has come out against former President Donald Trump, although Trump is very popular in his state. He insisted Monday that he is not trying to throw the election to Trump.

His television appearances on Monday, he said, are “basically me speaking what I believe in my heart and I believe 51% of us in the center of this country, which we call the sensible moderates.” 

Manchin praised Mr. Biden, who he served with in the Senate, saying he “always made good decisions and the right decision, even though I would agree or disagree.”

“We did it respectfully and can talk through it, we call each other and we were having good conversations and always counted on Joe making the right decision,” Manchin said. 

But Manchin said he feels presidents should serve six-year terms instead of running for reelection after four years.