West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat, officially filed as an independent Friday.
“My commitment to do everything I can to bring out country together has led me to register as an independent with no party affiliation,” Manchin posted on the social platform X.
Manchin announced in November that he wouldn’t be running for reelection this year, after serving in the Senate since 2010. Before coming to Congress, he served as the governor of West Virginia from 2005-10.
He signaled Wednesday that he would not enter the governor’s race this year, shooting down rumors that he may try campaign again for the office.
In a statement Friday, Manchin said partisanship on both sides has jeopardized democracy.
“To stay true to myself and remain committed to put country before party, I have decided to register as an independent with no party affiliation and continue to fight for America’s sensible majority,” he said.
