Manchin Goes From Biden’s Most-Prized Democrat to Most Dangerous

As a Democratic stalwart in deep-red West Virginia, Senator Joe Manchin ranked among his party’s most valuable politicians, helping deliver large parts of Joe Biden’s agenda in a narrowly divided Senate.

But his announcement Thursday that he won’t seek reelection next year, and will travel the country to create “a movement to mobilize the middle,” has raised Democratic alarm that he could mount an independent presidential run — and move from vital Biden ally to a potential threat to the president’s reelection.

Manchin’s decision could be a double blow to Democrats. He was likely the only electable candidate from ...