Sen. Manchin calls for competitive Democratic nomination process: 'I want the middle to have a voice'

Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W. Va., called for a competitive Democratic nomination process on Monday, saying he wants centrist voters to feel like they have a voice.

"I want the middle to have a voice. I want the center of this country to be able to say, ‘We have a voice. We’re not extreme left or extreme right.' I don’t live my life that way, why do I have to only have two choices of a party that basically have taken the extremes?" he told CNN's Kasie Hunt. 

President Biden made the decision to drop out of the presidential contest after facing several calls to do so. He quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him at the top of the ticket. 

"The calls and everything that’s coming in, is not quite sure, unless they see a process where they really are, have things changed any at all, and the coordination doesn‘t always basically produce, I think, the strongest, if you will, the strongest team. Very well Kamala could be that person. And I think going through some sort of process would have been very enlightening to everybody," Manchin said. 

WEST VIRGINIA SEN. JOE MANCHIN LEAVES DEMOCRATIC PARTY, REGISTERS AS INDEPENDENT

Sen. Manchin called for a competitive nomination process on Monday and said he wanted the center  of the country to have a voice.  (Screenshot/CNN)

Manchin added that many Democrats being considered as potential running mates for Harris haven't been through a "process," arguing that the country didn't know where they stand. 

"I’m an Independent now. Fifty-one percent of people participating in an electoral process are registered Independents. Only 23% of registered Democrats, only 25% are registered Republicans. If either side can‘t capture that middle, which is where the center of this country, where the common sense, and just, they just want to tap it down a little bit and not push onto me even though you think that‘s part of the policy, and you're playing to the base, is that where the country is? I don’t think – why is there 51% like me? How do they win back Democrats like me?" he said.

Manchin also told "CBS Mornings" on Monday that he was calling for a "mini-primary," and clarified that he was not looking to run.

"I am not going to be a candidate for president. I am a candidate for, basically speaking for, the middle of this country," he said. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event at Pullman Yards on March 9, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Asked if he would consider being Harris' vice president, Manchin quickly said, "No." 

"This system, you would like to see some sort of, have some debates, have something, there‘s plenty of time. We act like there‘s no time at all," he added.

Biden, in a lengthy letter posted to social media on Sunday, touted his accomplishments and said he would speak more about his decision to drop out later in the week. 

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president," Biden wrote in a public letter. "While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interests of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term."

Hanna Panreck is an associate editor at Fox News.