Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) is officially ending speculation about whether he will run for president.
On Friday, Manchin’s revealed his decision not to run during during a speech at West Virginia University.
However, that does not mean he is planning to avoid presidential politics altogether.
“I will get involved in making sure that we secure a president who has the knowledge and has a passion and has the ability to bring this country together,” Manchin said.
He also shared he did not want to be a “spoiler” candidate in a re-match between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
“I just don’t think it’s the right time. Democracy is at stake right now,” Manchin added.
Manchin’s decision comes as polls have shown Americans say they want choices for their presidential candidates other than Trump and Biden, who large swaths as voters see as too old for the job.
On Sunday, an ABC News/Ipsos poll found a whopping 86% percent of Americans believe Biden is too old to serve another term.
The outlet noted that number includes 59% of Americans who think the 46th president and former Trump are both too old, and 27% who think just Biden is too old.
By contrast, 62% of respondents think Trump, 77, is too old.
Seventy three percent of Democrats say Biden is too old, while just 35% of Republicans say the same of the former president.
Meanwhile, 91% of independents think Biden is too old, and 71% say Trump is as well.
And on Thursday, a Monmouth University poll found 32% of voters say Biden has the mental and physical stamina for the job.
Only 2% of Republicans and 20% of independents say the same, while 72% of Democrats agree.
By contrasts, 51% of voters said they believe Trump has the physical and mental stamina, including 90% of Republicans, 57% of independents, and 12% of Democrats.
