The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will hold a virtual town hall event Friday afternoon with West Virginia U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin.
The veteran senator and two-term West Virginia governor is traveling the country as he considers a third-party presidential run in 2024. AJC political reporter Greg Bluestein will interview him and the event will be live-streamed on ajc.com.
Manchin, who announced late last year that he would not seek another term, has said he is conducting his national listening tour to see whether there’s interest in “creating a movement to mobilize the middle.”
His role as a centrist Democrat who frequently has broken with his party on left-leaning legislation has given him tremendous sway in the Senate, where only a few votes can swing a majority. He effectively has veto power on controversial legislation, and he hasn’t been afraid to use it.
Andrew Morse, president and publisher of the AJC, said the town hall is part of the AJC’s commitment to readers in an important election year.
“Following the Iowa Caucuses and New Hampshire primary, many are focused on a Trump vs Biden election. But voters in states like Georgia will actually decide who becomes the next President of the United States,” he said. “The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is offering this live interview with Sen. Joe Manchin because he is one of the most important independent political voices in the nation. We will serve our customers by pressing Manchin on his views and plans.”
The Town Hall will begin at 3:30 p.m.
