A group that bills itself as bi-partisan is teasing that it may create its own ticket to run as a third party in the 2024 Presidential election. No Labels is considering a “unity ticket". Some political insiders fear the effort could hand the White House back to Donald Trump.
We asked John Shaw, Director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale about the group: "It arose out of the then-growing concern about polarization in our political realm and the notion was to put together a party that had both Democratic and Republican elements and people." One criticism of No Labels is lack of transparency about funding and donors.
Now the group is facing criticism that it could throw the election. "I think the basis is that the group tends to attract more moderate elements in the political system, those slightly right of center, those slightly left of center who would be more likely to gravitate to Joe Biden in November of '24 than Donald Trump," explains Shaw. "But the sense is that, you know, these two seem likely to be the nominees. The country is not thrilled with the choice, wasn't thrilled with it in 2020 is not at all certain and wants to do it again in 2024." He adds, that provides an opening for No Labels to insinuate itself into the race. "But as we get closer to 2024 on election day, I think a lot of people will be wondering, you know, if they cast their vote for a no labels candidate, you know, what are they actually accomplishing?"