WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Manchin Joe Manchin on Monday ruled out running for president against potential Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, who was endorsed by President Joe Biden when he left the race.
"Let me make it very clear to you ... I am not going to be a candidate for president. I am a candidate for basically speaking for the middle of this country," Manchin told CBS television shortly after refusing to rule out a run in another interview.
Manchin said he favored the idea of a "mini-primary" process before a candidate to replace Biden was chosen. Asked if he thought Harris was too liberal, Manchin said, "Absolutely."
Moments earlier, Manchin was asked on CNN if he would run against Harris. "I don't know," he said.
But he told CNN he would not be interested in running as Harris' vice president.
Manchin said he had received calls from people asking him to consider a 2024 candidacy, saying they needed a more centrist figure to lead the country.
"I want the center of this country to be able to say, we have a voice. We're not extreme left, we're not extreme right," said Manchin, who left the Democratic Party in May decrying "partisan extremism."