Democratic senator appears at No Labels town hall as colleagues warn that any bipartisan campaign would help Donald Trump

The West Virginia senator Joe Manchin, who for years has held an outsized degree of power within the Democratic party, appeared on Monday at an event held by a political group exploring a third-party presidential bid. Manchin’s appearance has fueled speculation that he is considering a run for the presidency, a scenario that has alarmed Democrats as it could weaken President Joe Biden’s candidacy.

Manchin appeared at the group No Labels’ town hall meeting on Monday, alongside Republican former Utah governor Jon Huntsman. They co-headlined the organization’s “Common Sense” policy platform release, the first in a series of events that the group says it will hold as the 2024 presidential election takes shape.