By Gregory Korte, Hadriana Lowenkron and Jennifer Jacobs, Bloomberg News
WASHINGTON — No Labels, a centrist political group, had plans to shake up the 2024 presidential campaign by introducing a third-party candidate to challenge Joe Biden and Donald Trump, but stated on Thursday that it won't do so.
Nancy Jacobson, the founder of No Labels, mentioned in a statement that despite the demand for independent presidential candidacy and the need for unified national leadership, the organization couldn't find potential candidates with a credible chance of winning the White House. Therefore, they have chosen not to proceed with the campaign.
This decision benefits the Democrats who had concerns that a centrist candidate could harm Biden's chances of winning.
The decision not to pursue a presidential bid follows discussions and speculation about potential candidates for the ticket, including Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, and Larry Hogan, who resigned from the No Labels board to launch a U.S. Senate candidacy.
This decision also comes after the death of the organization’s co-founder, former Sen. Joe Lieberman, last week.
According to a source familiar with the discussions, No Labels had been considering several candidates in recent weeks, including Bill Haslam, the former governor of Tennessee, and Geoff Duncan, the former lieutenant governor of Georgia.
The group, known for its focus on bipartisan policy in Congress over the past 14 years, spent months preparing for a third-party presidential campaign, which it referred to as an “insurance policy” in case of a Biden-Trump rematch.
Voters still have the option of other third-party candidates such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jill Stein, and Cornel West, but a candidate supported by No Labels would have access to the ballot in 19 states, which is a significant advantage.
A political action committee called New Leaders ’24 aimed to raise $300 million to support a No Labels-backed candidate, while another allied super PAC, No Labels 2024, was fundraising for a potential nominating convention. Federal Election Commission filings show that No Labels 2024 had $1.9 million cash on hand by the end of 2023.
A Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll from last year found that the demand for an independent candidate in seven swing states was highest among key Democratic groups like young people and urban residents, who are crucial for Biden's electoral coalition.
According to the poll, 16% of Biden’s 2020 voters are interested in third-party alternatives, while 11% of Trump’s supporters are attracted to them.
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