Gov. Jim Justice appeared with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin at an August ribbon cutting ceremony for the Rahall Congressional Library in Beckley. In a statement Thursday, Justice thanked Manchin for his service following Manchin’s announcement he was retiring from the Senate after his term ends in 2024. (Photo Courtesy of W.Va. Governor’s Office)

CHARLESTON — From political friends to political foes, reaction to U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin’s impending retirement from the Senate ranged from praise for his public service to pleasure at leaving West Virginia’s political stage.

Manchin, D-W.Va., announced Thursday afternoon he would not seek re-election to a third six-year term to the Senate. Instead, Manchin will travel the nation to find ways to mobilize political independents and moderates.

West Virginia’s junior senator, Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., thanked Manchin and his wife, Appalachian Regional Commission Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin, for their public service in a statement Thursday. Capito has served in Congress since 2001 and in the Senate since 2015. Both Manchin and Capito served together in the West Virginia Legislature and have been life-long friends despite being in opposing political parties.

“Thank you Joe and Gayle for your years of service to our beloved West Virginia,” Capito said. “I’ve enjoyed serving alongside you, our senior senator. And as you said, we still have much work ahead of us. Thank you for your friendship, Joe. I look forward to that continuing.”

Delegate Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party, praised Manchin for his decades of service to the people of West Virginia. Pushkin said the party would work to support a suitable Democratic candidate to succeed Manchin.

“For 41 years, beginning with his election to the House of Delegates in 1982, Joe Manchin’s name has been synonymous with West Virginia politics and government,” Pushkin said. “On behalf of the West Virginia Democratic Party, we would like to thank Joe Manchin for all his years of service to West Virginia and to the nation.”

Manchin has served in the Senate since 2010 after winning a special election. He was re-elected for full six-year terms in 2012 and 2018, narrowly winning that race against Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. Since then, the state flipped from a majority Democratic Party registration to a majority Republican Party registration.

Since the beginning of 2023, Manchin said he would announce his political intentions by the end of the year, which could still include a candidacy for U.S. president under the No Labels banner. Manchin also has hinted at switching from a Democrat to an independent. In a statement, No Labels said it was still evaluating the feasibility of a unity presidential ticket and will make an announcement in early 2024.

“Sen. Joe Manchin is a tireless voice for America’s commonsense majority and a longtime ally of the No Labels movement,” according to the statement. “The Senate will lose a great leader when he leaves, but we commend Senator Manchin for stepping up to lead a long overdue national conversation about solving America’s biggest challenges …”

Only one registered Democrat, Mercer County resident and veteran Zachary Shrewsbury, has filed to run for U.S. Senate next year according to Federal Election Commission records.

Republican candidates for Senate in 2024 include Inwood resident Bryan McKinney, Princeton resident Zane Lawhorn, 2nd District Rep. Alex Mooney and Gov. Jim Justice. Justice has led Manchin in nearly every head-to-head poll conducted since 2023, as well as leading Mooney by double digits.

Justice, in a statement Thursday, thanked Manchin for his service despite their differences over the years. Manchin supported Justice for governor in 2016 after winning as a registered Democrat and bringing officials from Manchin’s days as governor into his office, including Gayle Manchin, who served as cabinet secretary for the Department of Education and the Arts (now called the Department of Arts, Culture and History). But Justice switched to the Republican Party in 2017 and fired several former Manchin staffers, including Gayle Manchin.

“Sen. Joe Manchin and I have not always agreed on policy and politics, but we’re both lifelong West Virginians who love this state beyond belief, and I respect and thank him for his many years of public service,” Justice said.

In a statement Thursday, Mooney Campaign Manager John Findlay said there was no difference between Manchin and Justice, accusing Justice of supporting several bills negotiated between Manchin and President Joe Biden, such as the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act and the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“With Joe Manchin out of the race, there’s only one candidate left in West Virginia who supports the liberal Biden agenda and that is Jim Justice,” Findlay said. “Congressman Alex Mooney is the only true conservative for the U.S. Senate who will fight back against the Biden agenda and that is why he will win the Republican primary in May of 2024.”

As a result of Manchin’s retirement announcement, the Cook Political Report moved the Senate race in West Virginia to solid Republican. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the candidate recruitment arm of the U.S. Senate, endorsed Justice over Mooney earlier this year and encouraged Justice to run.

“We like our odds in West Virginia,” said Senatorial Committee Chairman Steve Daines, R-Mont., in a statement Thursday.

The West Virginia Republican Party has been leading a social media campaign called “Retire Manchin Monday” to promote its efforts to flip Manchin’s Senate seat to a Republican. State Republican Executive Committee Co-Chairs Elgine McArdle and Tony Hodge said with Manchin’s retirement, it is time for Republicans to secure Manchin’s seat next year.

“The highest priority of the West Virginia Republican Party this election cycle is to do its part in delivering a Republican majority to the United States Senate, and in just under one year from now, we will do just that,” McArdle said. “The retirement of incumbent Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin is an important development in ensuring that outcome and the West Virginia Republican Party will not take its eye off the ball.”

“When Chairwoman McArdle and I decided to run for the WVGOP leadership positions, we had three main objectives in mind: Bring an atmosphere of professionalism to the WVGOP, operate a much-needed balanced budget and retire Joe Manchin from the United States Senate,” Hodge said. “In less than a year and a half in office, under the steady, focused leadership of our chairwoman and with the tireless work of our WVGOP supporters, staff and volunteers, we have accomplished exactly what we said we would.”