No Labels Drops Plan To Run 2024 “Unity Ticket”

No Labels, a group that sought to obtain ballot access across all 50 states to run a so-called third party “unity ticket” in 2024, said that they would “stand down” this cycle after failing to recruit candidates.

“Americans remain more open to an independent presidential run, and hungrier for unifying national leadership, that ever before,” the group said in a statement today. “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 for us is to stand down.”

Former Senator Joe Lieberman, who died last week, had championed the effort, and it appeared that the grew drew interest from moderates like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, a Republican. Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan was said to have weighed a bid, but ultimately decided to run for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat. More recently, the group reportedly eyed former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

The No Labels effort drew plenty of criticism, with fears that it would have siphoned votes from Joe Biden to the benefit of Donald Trump. That concern remains with the independent candidacy of Robert Kennedy Jr. and other third party challengers.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that No Labels was ending their plans.