WASHINGTON Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Manchin on Thursday announced that he will not seek re-election in 2024.

"I have made one of the toughest decisions of my life and decided that I will not be running for re-election to the United States Senate, but what I will be doing is traveling the country and speaking out to see if there is an interest in creating a movement to mobilize the middle and bring Americans together," Manchin said in a statement.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward)