The centrist group No Labels intended to select candidates to challenge President Biden and Donald Trump in the November general election.
The organization, which had previously stated it would only run a presidential and vice-presidential ticket with a realistic chance of winning the White House, decided after discussions with its delegates from all 50 states.
Mike Rawlings, the national convention chair of No Labels, stated that the organization’s delegates had voted near unanimously to continue the 2024 project and to identify candidates for the Unity presidential ticket. No Labels plans to accelerate its candidate outreach and announce the selection process for the Unity Ticket on March 14.
No Labels has been working to secure ballot access in all 50 states and had been considering former 2024 candidates like former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for the Republican portion of the bipartisan ticket.
The group has not publicly disclosed its shortlist of possible candidates but had emphasized its focus on obtaining ballot access first.
Some potential candidates, such as Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), have ruled out running with No Labels. Before dropping out of the GOP race, Haley had also ruled out a third-party bid, citing her affiliation with the Republican Party.
No Labels aims to give American voters a better choice, as polls show dissatisfaction with the likely candidates in the 2024 presidential election.
The organization believes that this moment presents a unique opportunity for a successful third-party candidate to emerge. Biden and Trump are already facing three major third-party candidates: independents Cornel West and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as Jill Stein of the Green Party.