Joe Manchin gets a GOP challenger for his West Virginia Senate seat

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District Media Group president Beverly Hallberg weighed in after President Biden said he would do nothing differently to change Americans' opinions on his leadership.

Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., announced Tuesday that he will run for Senate in 2024 in a bid to unseat Sen. Joe Manchin.

"West Virginia values are at risk in this country. We’re bankrupting America. I want to be a part of the solution there," Mooney said in a radio interview on MetroNews Talkline on Tuesday morning.

"It’s been talked about a lot, but I’m going to announce. I’m announcing it right now that I’m running for the U.S. Senate," Mooney said. "I’m all in."

Sen. Joe Manchin (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Manchin faced his toughest challenge in 2018 when he won by only 3%, and could face a tight challenge from Mooney as West Virginia grows increasingly Republican. The moderate Democrat has faced criticism within his party as a swing vote in the 50-50 Senate during the last two years.

Mooney became the first Hispanic congressman to represent West Virginia when he assumed office in 2015. Previously, he worked as a chair of the Maryland Republican Party, where he represented a western district.

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Rep. Alex Mooney (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Manchin drew national attention when he announced his opposition to Biden’s Build Back Better plan, which needed his vote to pass in the Senate. He continued negotiations with the White House as the bill evolved into the Inflation Reduction Act, which passed thanks to his vote.

Sam Runyon, a spokesman for Manchin, said the senator welcomes all challengers. 

"A robust democratic process has never been more important to our country and Sen. Manchin encourages every candidate who values public service to enter the race," Runyon told Fox News Digital.

Later Tuesday, Manchin told Fox News in an exclusive interview, "I've always been opposed in every election I've ever been in. So with that I encourage people to get involved in the process."

Manchin also said he hadn't made a final decision on if he will run for reelection in 2024, and declined to fully commit to running as a Democrat. 

"Those things have never entered into my mind. It really hasn't," Manchin said when asked if there is a chance he could run as a Republican. The senator added that his focus is, "how can I help defend and protect the Constitution."

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President Biden gives Sen. Joe Manchin the pen he used to sign the Inflation Reduction Act as Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer applauds. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Manchin, who describes himself as pro-life, voted to keep the Hyde Amendment, which prevents federal dollars from funding abortions, despite efforts from his party to nix the nearly five-decade-old measure. However, Manchin said he was disappointed by the overturn of Roe v. Wade and declared he would vote to codify abortion rights.

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West Virginia has morphed into a Republican stronghold in recent election cycles. Support for Democrats has steadily declined — Al Gore won 46% of the state in 2000 and Biden won just 30% of the state in 2020. The state’s other U.S. senator is Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican who won 70% of the vote in 2020. West Virginia has not had two Republican senators since 1958.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, who switched his party from Democrat to Republican, said in September that it is "possible" he might run for Senate in 2024. Manchin has yet to officially declare he will run for re-election. 

Fox News' Haris Alic, Kelly Phares and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.