MANCHESTER, NH — As the race for the 2024 White House appears to be moving toward a rematch between President Biden and former President Trump, the centrist group No Labels is taking steps to prepare for a possible third-party unity ticket.
And the group says it has support, pointing to a series of public polls that indicate Americans are anything but enthusiastic about a Biden-Trump presidential election.
“We’re responding to a clear demand from American voters. The vast majority of them are unhappy with the major parties’ likely candidates,” said Ryan Clancy, the group’s chief strategist. “They want another choice, and No Labels is just giving them that choice.”
Clancy, in an interview with Fox News Digital on Thursday, said No Labels “is talking a lot with our members across the country to get a better idea of what type of candidates, specific candidates, people would like to see on the ticket.”
No Labels leadership and guests, from left, Pat McCrory, co-executive director, Margaret White, former U.S. attorney, Dan Webb, national co-president, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, and founding president and former senator Joe Lieberman, discuss the 2024 elections at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on Thursday. (AP Photo/José Luis Magana)
He reiterated that the group has not made a final decision on whether it would be better to have a Republican rather than a Democrat at the top of their potential slate.
“The basis for this is a poll we did over the summer,” Clancy told Fox News. “We simply discovered that a unity ticket at the top did better, had a better chance of winning. And so that was the basis of this thinking. But we haven’t yet made a final decision on whether whether it would be a D or a D. an R or an I at the top.”
Clancy added that “we’re going to do some more polling here in the coming weeks before we make a final decision.”
NO LABEL CONTACTS CHRIS CHRISTIE REGARDING THE 2024 UNIT TICKET
The No. 1 job right now for No Labels is on the ballot.
The group says it is under discussion in 14 states and currently working in 13 others. He says he intends to have ballot access in 32 states by the end of this year.
“We needed to focus on getting on the ballot in all 50 states. Because if we didn’t do that, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to field candidates. So that’s what we’re doing now.” former senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, said at a news conference Thursday.
Liberman, a Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2000 who won his last Senate election in 2006 as an independent, is the founding chairman and co-chairman of No Labels.
No Labels Founding Chairman and former Senator Joe Lieberman speaks about the 2024 elections Thursday at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. (AP Photo/José Luis Magana)
Margaret White, co-executive director of No Labels, said that “we will decide in the coming months whether or not to offer our ballot line to a presidential unity candidate. If we do, this ticket’s presidential campaign will be responsible for ensuring access to the final 18 states. , plus the District of Columbia.”
While working to get on the ballot, No Labels also reaches out to potential candidates on a national bipartisan slate.
“The reality is we are starting to talk to potential candidates,” Lieberman said.
Of the timetable, he said: “When it becomes clear – as it certainly seems to be the case – that the Republicans will nominate Donald Trump and the Democrats Joe Biden, then as we have said, around Super Tuesday in March, or Perhaps sooner, we will make a decision about whether the data tells us we have a constructive role to play in offering our third lines in every state to a bipartisan unity ticket.
“I would say the candidates will appear no later than April,” Lieberman said. “There will be plenty of time between April and the November election for them to offer that third choice to the American people and for the American people to get to know the unity candidates.”
POLLS POINTING TOWARDS “POLITICAL CHANGE” HELP IN LACK OF LABELS
A new name that emerged this week is that of the former United Nations ambassador and former governor of South Carolina. Nikki Haleywho is currently battling leader Trump for the Republican nomination.
Nikki Haley, Republican presidential candidate (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
“If Governor Haley fails to secure the Republican nomination for president and says she wants to be part of our bipartisan unity list, I’m sure the folks at No Labels would be paying close attention.” Lieberman said. .
The idea was quickly rejected by the Haley campaign.
“Nikki has no interest in No Labels. She is happy with the Republican label,” Olivia Perez-Cubas, communications director for the Haley campaign, responded in a statement to Fox News.
Although Haley is not interested, Lieberman said, “We are talking to a lot of people from both parties about running.”
“Actually, none of them said no. But none of them said yes,” he added.
Opponents of No Labels, which includes outside Democratic groups and activists, have repeatedly argued that if a unity ticket were launched, it would only strengthen Trump’s chances to take back the White House. And No Labels opponents have said publicly that they will pressure the organization and its staff as well as donors and potential candidates.
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But No Labels always claimed that if they presented a ticket, they wouldn’t be spoilers.
Lieberman said that “based on our polling, we think there is” a plausible chance that a two-party unity candidate would win in November.
Trump scored a massive victory in the Iowa caucuses this week, and if he wins big again in next week’s New Hampshire primary, it’s possible the race for the GOP presidential nomination could end prematurely .
But Clancy said a quick end to the Republican White House battle would not speed up the group’s timetable.
“The reason is we still have work to do on the ballot, and that will continue,” he said.
“We just have to cross the finish line,” he added. “We’re thinking mid-March.”
