No Labels packs it up, won’t put forth a presidential ticket
The centrist group No Labels is ending its attempt to put forth a third-party presidential ticket after failing to find candidates to lead it.
“Americans remain more open to an independent presidential run and hungrier for unifying national leadership than ever before,” the group said in a statement. “But No Labels has always said we would only offer our ballot line to a ticket if we could identify candidates with a credible path to winning the White House. No such candidates emerged, so the responsible course of action is for us to stand down.”
The Wall Street Journal first reported that No Labels was abandoning their plans.
No Labels had sought to raise tens of millions of dollars to support a unity ticket and worked to gain access to the ballot in a significant number of states. The group claimed to have done so in 21.
But it never succeeded in convincing a prominent politician to run under its banner. Among those it sought to recruit included Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. As rejections piled up, the group looked at lower ranking officials, including former lieutenant governor of Georgia, Geoff Duncan. But he too declined.
"I still think it was a valiant effort but the grip of the two party system won't let go despite their failures," said former Republican North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, who was a national co-chair of the organization until he resigned a few weeks ago.
The end of the bid comes at a time when the group is mourning its co-founder, Joe Lieberman, who died last week at the age of 82.
The group’s decision not to field a ticket will likely be celebrated by Democrats, who had long warned that No Labels’ effort would have helped boost Donald Trump and harm President Joe Biden.
The group, in its statement, said it will “remain engaged over the next year during what is likely to be the most divisive presidential election of our lifetimes. We will promote dialogue around major policy challenges and call out both sides when they speak and act in bad faith.”
A Biden campaign spokesperson declined to comment and a spokesperson for the Trump campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sam Stein contributed to this report.
