WASHINGTON – Sen. Joe Manchin on Sunday declined to answer whether he will support President Joe Biden running in 2024, and did not say if he wants Democrats to keep control of the House.
“Everybody’s worried about the election. That’s the problem,” Manchin, DW.Va., said when asked by ABC’s Jonathan Karl if he would support Biden if he runs again in 2024.
He added that he will not get into the next two election cycles, but would rather focus on the current president.
Manchin, who was asked a few times by Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sunday if he hoped Democrats would keep control of the House and the Senate, responded by saying that “people are sick and tired of politics.”
Democrats have a thin margin in the House and are widely expected to lose control in November’s election. The Senate is even split between the parties.
When Todd asked Manchin whether he cared about this year’s election outcomes, Manchin said he respects whoever he has to work with, and respects those states that they represent.
“Whatever the voters choose,” Manchin said. “I’ve always taken the approach whoever you send me, that’s your representative and I respect them. And I respect the state for the people they send, and I give it my best to work with them, to do the best for my country .”
Manchin, who faces reelection in 2024, has opposed some key parts of Biden’s domestic agenda by refusing to back the Build Back Better social spending bill, calling it too expensive.
Last week, though, he and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer agreed on a bill that includes some climate change provisions and allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices.
Will Sinema support the bill?:Democrats deal with Sen. Joe Manchin raises new question: What about Sen. Kyrsten Synema?