Senate

Manchin says open primary would make Biden ‘stronger candidate’

by Lauren Sforza - 10/05/23 2:24 PM ET

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said that an open Democratic primary would make President Biden a “stronger candidate.”

When MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough asked Manchin on “Morning Joe” if Biden was the “best choice” to beat former President Trump, he said that he didn’t know “who else was out there.” He suggested that an open primary could benefit the sitting president, saying that he could learn from his opponents.

“I’ve always been scared, because I’ve always never been unopposed,” he said. “And that was always good. You know, let me tell you something, I’ve learned from every race I was ever in. I’ve learned from my opponents. I got something wrong. I’ve always said, I’ve never met the first person, is always wrong. The person running against me, I got knowledge from them. I could pick something, I could use it.”

“[T]he thing about it would make Joe probably a stronger candidate,” he added.

Manchin has butted heads with Biden repeatedly over the past few years, including voting against a string of Biden nominees, including Jared Bernstein, to become Biden’s top economic adviser, and several judicial nominees. He also delivered a blow to Biden’s Build Back Better agenda in 2021 when he opposed spending levels proposed in the bill.

Manchin has sparked some speculation of his own for 2024 as he has yet to announce whether he will seek reelection for his own Senate seat. He has repeatedly flirted with a third-party run for the White House, as he has kept close ties with political organization No Labels.

There are only two prominent primary challengers to Biden in 2024: Marianne Williamson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. However, Democrat Rep. Dean Phillips (Minn.) has not yet ruled out a primary challenge to Biden for next year.

Phillips has been toying with a possible White House bid against Biden for months and has also reiterated the need for a competitive Democratic primary. Earlier this week, he stepped down from his Democratic leadership role, fueling speculation that he could make a last-minute entry into the race.