WASHINGTON (AP) — West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin said Friday that he is not running for president, according to his spokesman Jon Kott.

Manchin announced his decision in a speech at West Virginia University.

The centrist Democrat who often bucked his party’s leadership had been considering a run for the presidency and had said he thought it would be clear by March if there was a path for a third-party candidate this year.

Manchin is not running for reelection in 2024. His Senate seat in a heavily Republican state is expected to be a prime pickup opportunity for the GOP.

The Associated Press