Joe Manchin Won’t Run For West Virginia Governor

Politico reports:

Joe Manchin will not run for governor of West Virginia in 2020 against Republican Gov. Jim Justice, the Democratic senator announced Tuesday.

“When considering whether to run for governor, I couldn’t focus just on which job I enjoyed the most, but on where I could be the most effective for the Mountain State,” Manchin said in a statement. “Ultimately, I believe my role as U.S. Senator allows me to position our state for success for the rest of this century.”

The decision is likely to be a relief to Senate Democrats, who would struggle to hold on to the seat in the future.