Democrats shore up Manchin with digital ads as he considers third party presidential run

The red-state Democrat and sometimes Biden antagonist has not committed to running for re-election

Democrats’ relationship with West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin is complicated. Facing some tough math to maintain their majority in the U.S. Senate next year, national party leaders are hoping that the red-state Democrat will run for re-election, and are signaling their support via new digital ads.  

Senate Majority PAC, through its affiliate group “Duty and Honor,” has spent $65,490 in the past 30 days on Facebook and Google ads supporting Manchin. The vast majority of the ad spending targets West Virginians, and they highlight Manchin’s efforts to “reduce spending.” 

The group, which is also running pro-Manchin ads on television in the state, is currently the top-spending political advertiser on both platforms in the state of West Virginia. 

Senate Majority PAC’s investment in support of Manchin comes at a time of high anxiety around the Senator’s future plans. He is currently being floated as a third-party presidential candidate for the group No Labels, and has recently “flirted” with Iowa voters, per AXIOS. If No Labels is successful in running Manchin as a third-party candidate 2024, it would undoubtedly throw the presidential election to Donald Trump or the GOP nominee.