On Thursday, Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, navigated discussions about his potential for a third-party presidential bid, yet he offered his endorsement for a possible running mate if such a bid were to materialize.

“Hypothetically, if I was picking my running mate, really who I would ask right now is Mitt Romney,” Manchin said.

Furthermore, Manchin mentioned that he would contemplate selecting former Senator Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio, as a potential vice-presidential candidate, NBC News reported.

“Rob’s a dear friend of mine,” Manchin said. “What a good man.”

During an appearance at a City Club of Cleveland breakfast, as part of his nationwide “listening tour” following the announcement of his decision not to seek another Senate term, Manchin offered pointed criticisms of President Joe Biden.

This tour, which included a recent stop in New Hampshire ahead of the state’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary, has sparked speculation about Manchin potentially launching an independent or third-party presidential campaign.

There have been associations between Manchin and the No Labels organization’s initiative to form a bipartisan ticket.

Written by B.C. Begley