Manchin meets Trump mega-donors who want him to run for president as Republican at ritzy fundraiser
Supporters of former President Donald Trump who attended a fundraiser for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said that they hoped the lawmaker would switch parties and challenge President Joe Biden in 2024.
CNBC reported that buzz about a possible party switch was overheard at a fundraiser for Manchin hosted by billionaire Nelson Peltz in Florida. Attendees paid $5,000 a plate to see Manchin speak.
According to the report, “several top executives said they privately hoped the conservative Democrat would switch parties and run against President Joe Biden in the 2024 elections.”
“Although Manchin told the group he plans to run for reelection to the Senate as a Democrat, a small group of donors at the event privately said they hope he changes parties and runs for president as a Republican against Biden in 2024 instead,” the report said.
Some attendees of the event were said to have “once supported Trump” and look at Manchin “as someone who could successfully run in a Republican primary and then possibly defeat Biden,” CNBC noted.