(UnitedVoice.com) – No Labels hoped to shake up presidential elections and make them less partisan moving forward. The organization has spent months working to get on the ballots across the country. That has all come to an end.
No Labels Is No More in 2024
On April 4, The Washington Post reported No Labels issued a statement informing supporters that it failed to recruit candidates to join a unity ticket for the presidential race. The organization claimed Americans are open to a unifying ticket with a Republican and Democrat, but that its leadership always maintained they would not offer up a ticket if they didn’t have a path to victory.
The statement said the organization had not been able to find “candidates with a credible path to winning” in 2024, but since no “candidates emerged,” leadership decided to “stand down.”
Joe Cunningham, No Labels’ national director, told Fox News that the group was “looking for a hero, and a hero never emerged.” He said the group tried its best to find people to join the ticket but ultimately couldn’t find candidates who “had a straightforward path to victory” in 2024.
The organization had already gained ballot access in 21 states. They’d previously claimed they were going to get on the ballots in the other states after they had candidates.
What Happened?
When No Labels began, several moderate names were linked to the group. Earlier this year, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced he wasn’t running for re-election. Reporters asked him multiple times if he was going to run on the No Labels, and he refused to rule it out. That changed in mid-February.
Manchin announced he was not running for president, saying it wasn’t the right time. His announcement came about a week after another potential No Labels candidate, former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R), said he was running for Senate in his state. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (R) both reportedly turned the group down, as well.
Democrats were vehemently opposed to the No Labels unity ticket. The party believed a third-party ticket would lead to another win for former President Donald Trump.
MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting celebrated the announcement. The progressive issued a statement to CBS News saying “millions of Americans are relieved” by No Labels’ decision. The director called on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to follow the organization’s lead and get out of the race because “no third-party has a path forward” in the race.
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