When Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced last week during a speech in Morgantown, West Virginia, that he will not run for the White House, the No Labels party was left high and dry.
Which is not to say that the upstart political party is throwing in the towel just yet.
According to No Labels national co-chair Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., the party is not ready just yet to name names but is still talking to “several exceptional leaders” about a unity ticket alternative to the options that will be put forth by the two major parties.
Chavis appeared on MSNBC’s This Weekend on Sunday and said an announcement will be forthcoming.
“In the next couple of weeks or more, we will probably make an announcement whether or not we will give the ballot access to a unity ticket,” he said. “A unity ticket means a Republican and a Democrat. And we are talking to Republicans, Democrats, and independents.”
Senator Joe Manchin has announced he will not be running for President, officially squashing the idea of appearing on a @NoLabelsOrg presidential ticket as a third-party candidate. @DrBenChavis addresses a pressing concern that the party’s intent is to help Trump get re-elected. pic.twitter.com/5art9lNX0v — The Weekend on MSNBC (@TheWeekendMSNBC) February 18, 2024
With the 2024 election looking to be a rematch between President Biden and former President Donald Trump, a decision from the group is expected sometime around Super Tuesday, which takes place on March 5.
“We’re in a state of uncertainty in our nation. The only thing that’s certain right now is uncertainty,” Chavis said. “So I don’t think we should speculate on what’s going to happen because nobody really knows. What we do know is that the majority of the American people don’t want to see a repeat of 2020.”
The co-chair acknowledged that it’s a “long, tedious process” to secure ballot access in every state — currently, No Labels has secured ballot access for the general election in more than a dozen states, according to the Washington Examiner.
Interestingly, the Kool-Aid drinking left is convinced that No Labels is “a dark money front group for Donald Trump,” as seen here:
Joe Manchin has announced that he won’t be running for president, after teasing a possible run with the No Labels Party. Reminder that No Labels isn’t a “movement to mobilize the middle.” It’s a dark money front group for Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/dzmhQ5wqgJ — Robert Reich (@RBReich) February 17, 2024
Meanwhile, Trump supporters seem to fear that former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley might hitch her wagon to the party:
Will Nikki Haley pledge to say NO to No Labels? Someone should ask her. — Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) February 16, 2024