Manchin addresses third-party speculation as he prepares to headline No Labels event

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va) on Wednesday addressed his plans to headline an event in New Hampshire hosted by the centrist group No Labels amid concern from Democrats about a third-party presidential bid backed by the group.

Manchin has not yet ruled out a White House run, nor has he announced whether he plans to run for reelection to the Senate in 2024 in his increasingly red home state. But the event next week has nothing to do with a third-party bid, Manchin told CNN on Wednesday.

According to CNN, Manchin is joining former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, a Republican, for the town hall because of his ties to the group where he has served as an honorary co-chair.

“It is clear that most Americans are exceedingly frustrated by the growing divide in our political parties and toxic political rhetoric from our elected leaders,” Manchin said in a statement announcing Monday’s event. “Our political discourse is lacking engaged debates around common-sense solutions to solve the pressing issues facing our nation. I am looking forward to modeling this type of conversation with my good friend, Gov. Huntsman, and the No Labels community.”

However, the centrist senator did nothing to quell the rumors that he might enter the presidential race.

“I've never ruled out anything,” he told CNN’s Manu Raju.

Manchin won’t be able to enter the race without a fight. Some Democrats on Capitol Hill are already rallying to thwart any third-party challenges that could weaken President Joe Biden in the general election. Officials from two progressive groups are set to brief Senate Democratic chiefs of staff July 27 about the risk that a No Labels-backed bid could pose to the incumbent president, POLITICO reported earlier this month.