CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — West Virginia Senator and former Democrat Joe Manchin (I-WV) registered as an independent last week, sparking speculation that he will run for governor or even president in the general election.
Although Manchin was elected governor of West Virginia for two terms, serving from 2005 to 2010, he is eligible to run again because West Virginia term limits only prohibit candidates from serving more than two consecutive terms. Manchin was elected in 2004 and 2008, but decided to leave office in 2010 when he was elected senator, a position he has held ever since.
Although Manchin has already said he will not seek re-election for his Senate seatAlthough current Governor Jim Justice is expected to win the general election, he has not yet announced his future political plans. he said last week before switching parties that he would not run for governor and that he did not know how the rumors arose that it could be him, and instead said that he fully supported Democratic candidate Steve Williams.
As an independent, Manchin is not affiliated with any political party and does not have to worry about party nominations when running for office. If he wants to run for office in West Virginia – whether it be for governor, president or something else – he must declare his candidacy before the 1 August: Deadline for registration for independent candidates.
Although most American politicians are Democrats or Republicans, there is a petite group of successful independents. Including Manchin, there are currently four independent U.S. senators: Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Angus King (I-ME), and Krysten Sinema (I-AZ). In the last 20 years, America has only had two independent governors elected – Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island in 2011 and Bill Walker of Alaska in 2014.
The last American president who was neither a Democrat nor a Republican was Millard Fillmore – a member of the Whig Party – in 1850-1853, according to the White Houseand he was not elected president and did not take office until after the death of President Zachary Taylor.
