WASHINGTON — Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., inched closer Wednesday to confirming that he could run for president.
“I will do anything I can to help my country, and you’re saying, ‘Does that mean you would consider it?’ Absolutely,” Manchin said in an exclusive interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker.
“Every American should consider it if they’re in a position to help save the country,” he added.
Manchin said he first has to explore whether there’s an appetite among voters for a moderate candidate like him.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure, to mobilize that moderate sensible, common-sense middle,” he said.
Manchin suggested that if he can “reinvigorate” the middle-of-the-road constituency, that would play a major role in whether he would launch a White House bid.
“I’m totally, absolutely scared to death that Donald Trump would become president again,” he said. “I think we will lose democracy as we know it.”
The news comes after Manchin announced last week that he would not seek re-election to the Senate, which will make it difficult for his party to hold the seat in the deep-red state and reshapes the battle for Senate control in 2024.
