Manchin says he is 'thinking seriously' about leaving Democratic Party before 2024 election

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin said Thursday that he is "thinking seriously" about leaving the Democratic Party and becoming an independent before the 2024 election. 

"I’m thinking seriously. For me, I have to have peace of mind, basically," Manchin, who previously described himself as an independent Democrat, told West Virginia radio host Hoppy Kercheval, according to The Hill. 

"The brand has become so bad — the D brand and R brand. In West Virginia, the D brand because it’s [the] national brand. It’s not the Democrats in West Virginia, it’s the Democrats in Washington," he also said. "You’ve heard me say a million times I’m not a Washington Democrat."

Manchin also said he has been thinking about leaving the Democratic Party "for quite some time," but he has not made any decisions about his political direction yet. 

The comments come amid rumors that Manchin will launch a third-party bid for president in 2024.

Manchin's mulling over leaving the Democratic Party comes after Arizona Sen. Krysten Sinema left it last year to become an independent. 

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