West Virginia senator Joe Manchin’s Democratic colleagues are scrambling to stop him from mounting a presidential bid against party-mate Joe Biden, calling the prospect of a challenge from the high-profile senator a “terrible idea” that would only help Republicans.

Manchin has flirted with a third-party presidential bid, an endeavor that self-described centrist group No Labels—which has pledged to spend $70 million on a third-party candidate in 2024 but has yet to reveal its most recent financial figures—could fund. For Manchin’s Senate Democratic colleagues, the idea is a full-blown disaster. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D., Colo.), for example, told Politico he “advised [Manchin] against” a third-party presidential run, which he called a “terrible idea” that would “help Donald Trump.” Manchin remained coy in response—he merely “looked at me and nodded,” Hickenlooper told Politico.

[On the other hand, another Biden run would be a terrible idea that would help any Republican other than Donald Trump in a general election — and maybe even Trump too, although it didn’t work in 2020. — Ed]