Senator Joe Manchin III, the conservative West Virginia Democrat, announced on Thursday that he would not seek re-election, dealing a blow to Democrats’ chances of holding the Senate.
Instead, Mr. Manchin, who was likely to face a strong Republican challenger to keep his Senate seat in a deeply red state, said he would continue exploring whether there was an appetite in the country for a centrist third-party bid for the presidency. That prospect has alarmed many Democrats who fear such a run could doom President Biden’s chances of holding the White House.
“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,” Mr. Manchin said in a video news release. “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.”
The decision was an immediate setback for Democrats’ hopes of holding a majority in the Senate, where they currently control 51 votes — 48 Democrats and three independents. Mr. Manchin was seen as the only Democrat with a chance of holding the seat.