Political organization No Labels committed to end its third-party push if polling shows President Biden “way” ahead of former President Trump next spring.
No Labels, a bipartisan group, has been pursuing an effort to launch a “unity ticket” in the 2024 presidential election that would include a Republican and a Democrat “if the two parties select unreasonably divisive presidential nominees.” Trump and Biden are currently leading the polls among candidates in their respective parties. Democrats are wary of third-party recruitment pushes amid concerns that they could take votes away from Biden in next year’s election.
Ben Chavis, the Democratic co-chair of No Labels, told NBC News Thursday that the group “is not and will not be a spoiler in favor of Donald Trump in 2024.” He also said the group would be prepared to “stand down” by the spring of next year, saying it will make a decision after Super Tuesday and before its convention in April.
“If we find that the polls are changed and Joe Biden is way, way out ahead, and the person who the Republicans may choose — and if they continue to choose Donald Trump, even though he’s been indicted — then No Labels will stand down,” Chavis told the outlet.
No Labels confirmed to The Hill that it will end its third-party push if Biden is ahead in the polls next spring.
No Labels claims that a third-party bid for the White House is viable as it continues its effort to get on the ballot across the country. It has already secured a spot on the ballot in Arizona, Alaska, Colorado and Oregon.
The organization has received some criticism recently for its push to get on the ballot in Maine, where the secretary of state accused the organization of misleading voters to make it onto the state’s ballot. No Labels disputed the claims in response to a cease-and-desist letter from Maine officials, saying that organizers were given “crystal-clear instructions” about how to ask voters to change their party affiliation.
No Labels also released a statement Thursday in response to reporting from The Washington Post and ABC News that top Democratic strategists met with former Republicans to discuss No Labels’ third-party push.
“Democracy is about equal ballot access and transparency. To hear that a group of my friends and leaders in the Democratic Party were recently convened at the Third Way office in Washington DC for the express purpose of coordinating efforts to prevent No Labels from getting ballot access is disturbing,” Chavis said in a statement. “Denying ballot access is another form of voter suppression.”
“We are clear and transparent about not doing anything to help our nation step backwards with Trump,” he added.
Julia Manchester contributed reporting.