West Virginia's Sen. Manchin says he won't be third-party presidential candidate

Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., confirmed Friday he will not mount a run for president as an independent or third-party candidate during this year's presidential campaign season.

Manchin, who turns 77 in August, revealed his plans while speaking at West Virginia University.

"I will not be seeking a third-party run. I will not be involved in a presidential run," Manchin told people during a speech.

"I will be involved in making sure that we secure a president that has the knowledge and has the passion and has the ability to bring this country together."

Manchin added Friday he did not want a potential campaign to be a "deal-breaker" or a "spoiler."

Often seen as one of the most moderate Democrats in the Senate, Manchin confirmed in November he would not seek re-election to his seat in his home state of West Virginia.

At the time, Manchin did not rule out making a run for the Oval Office as an independent or third-party candidate.

That changed Friday.

"I just don't think it's the right time. We're on a real teetering situation here that could go either way. Democracy is at stake right now," Manchin told listeners Friday.

Manchin, who was first elected to the Senate in 2010, often has served as an important swing vote on partisan issues.

He has voted with Republicans on several high-profile issues, including ones such as abortion and environmental regulation.