Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said that “we would lose democracy as we know it” if Donald Trump returns to the White House.
“He believes that truly, that the only fair election is the one he wins. He believes that the law only applies to everybody [other] than him. And he attacks anybody that doesn’t agree with him.”
The moderate Democrat announced last week that he himself would not seek reelection to the Senate in 2024, prompting speculation that he was mulling a presidential bid.
He told multiple news outlets Wednesday that he was considering running for the White House, but did not specify whether he’d do so as a Republican, Democrat or independent candidate.
Asked on CNN if he’s exploring a third-party run, Manchin didn’t directly answer, but said he wants to “resurrect the middle, the moderate middle.” He argued that Trump, the front-runner in the Republican presidential primary, is too extreme, and that President Joe Biden has been pushed too far to the left.
“Which one do you think is a bigger threat to America though?” Collins asked.
“Donald Trump,” Manchin replied. “I think we would lose democracy as we know it.”
When Collins said that a third-party presidential bid could siphon votes away from Biden and help reelect Trump, Manchin insisted, “I’m not going to be a spoiler.”
Manchin, whose vote is crucial for Democrats in the Senate, has repeatedly broken rank with Biden and others in his party and objected to the president’s policies.