No Labels Is No Más for the 2024 Election
The centrist establishment lane in third party presidential politics remains empty.
After years of heavy-breathing hints about giving polarization-fatigued Americans a bipartisan presidential choice, and months of painstakingly obtaining ballot access in nearly two dozen states, the 14-year-old centrist nonprofit No Labels has decided to not act like a political party after all.
"Americans remain more open to an independent presidential run and hungrier for unifying national leadership than ever before," founding CEO Nancy Jacobson said in a press release Thursday afternoon. "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 is for us to stand down."
According to The Wall Street Journal, which broke the news, Jacobson had recently told supporters that the group went 0 for 30 in reaching out to potential "unity ticket" candidates. Among the refuseniks: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I–Ariz.), runner-up 2024 GOP contender Nikki Haley, vanquished Democratic challenger Dean Phillips (D–Minn.), former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, and Sen. Joe Manchin (D–W.Va.).
Besides confronting the cruel math of third party/independent presidential politics, the organization is still reeling from the sudden death on March 27 of founding chairman Joe Lieberman, the longtime former senator (both Democratic and independent), who made history as Al Gore's running mate in the razor-thin 2000 election.
This latest failure of establishment/moneyed centrism in presidential politics follows the derailed ambitions of Haley, Bill Weld, Michael Bloomberg, Howard Schultz, Evan McMullin, and plenty of others. Those with longer memories may recall the 2012 flash-in-the-pan Americans Elect, an internet-based third party that obtained ballot access in 29 states before abruptly closing shop.
Jacobson in her statement tried to put a brave face on things, but it's hard to imagine the organization doing much more than pushing its bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus on Capitol Hill.
"We will…remain engaged over the next year during what is likely to be the most divisive presidential election of our lives. We will promote dialogue around major policy challenges and call out both sides when they speak and act in bad faith," she vowed. "Like many Americans, we are concerned that the division and strife gripping the country will reach a critical point after this election, regardless of who wins. Post-election, No Labels will be prepared to champion and defend the values and interests of America's commonsense majority."
The group's mushy, hawkish, 30-point Common Sense Policy agenda will now have to be championed mostly outside the presidential race. Why? Because the people gaining traction on the political margins are not D.C. lifers repackaging ancient Reaganism. They are outsiders, even the one with the famous name.
In five-way national polling, independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is averaging 10.5 percent—numbers not seen since the days of Ross Perot—and fellow independent Cornel West is at 2 percent, with presumptive Green Party nominee Jill Stein at 1.7 percent. Most polls as of yet do not include anyone from the Libertarian Party (L.P.), whose nominating convention is in late May, with no clear front-runner. The L.P. is coming off three consecutive third-place presidential finishes.
Kennedy, Stein, and the Libertarian nominee are all good bets to qualify for a majority of state ballots, with the L.P. currently in the lead, though Kennedy has plenty of money to throw at the problem. Notably, and very unlike No Labels, those three candidates plus West are all considerably more dovish on foreign policy than either President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump.
With American public opinion souring on Israel's war against Hamas, the anti-interventionist vote, which is constantly underrated by the more hawkish journalistic class, has plenty of alternative candidates to choose from. No Labels may be over, but third party sentiment in 2024 is alive and well.
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That’s what we need, more centrist establishment types. Good grief.
So Know-Nothing Party 2.0 is likewise a pathetic failure? What a surprise.
I’ve heard nothing about the No Labels thing except from wonky press, and including names of people I’d never vote for or who I’d actually vote against.
They never seemed like a serious part. Or a serious anything. Definitely not to anyone outside the beltway.
When they thought it would hurt Trump it was an amazing story. When it turned out polling showed it hurt Biden, it was bad.
Whaaaaaaa! Baby cry cry!
Are all you leftists retarded or something?
I’m a Trump Republican. Cry more, neocon!
You’re a steaming pile of lefty shit. Fuck off and die.
Whaaaaaa!! I was promised a recession!!! Hannity promised me a recession!! I’m so angry we aren’t in recession!!!! OUTRAGE!!!!!!!!!
We are in a recession you fucking retard.
This is best economy since Clinton!! But thanks for taking time in between getting assraped with a black strap on by Lizard Cheney to reply.
I think it’s actually a bad parody.
Can’t tell, what with the non parody accounts talking about trunk bears and the like. Kind of moves the Poe’s law bar when they’re that stupid.
It comes pre-muted, so I presume it’s one of the usual clowns wearing a new nose.
Not one if the lefty shit-piles that I’ve got muted, but that’s a good guess.
I think you enjoy get fucked in the ass by guys you meet on Craigslist…nothing wrong with that just tell your fatty wife about it.
Definitionally.
Jesse, which one of our resident faggot progs does this sock belong to.
I do think people are hungry for more moderate candidates. The only way to get more moderate candidates is to get out and vote in the primaries. Left and right extremist win because their people get out and vote in the primaries. If No Labels wants to get more centrist candidates, it should support them in the primaries.
I do think people are hungry for more moderate candidates.
Strong take from Moderation4ever.
The poster who understands words like moderate even worse than sarc.
It makes sense when you read it as moderate as in censor unfavored opinions.
They fail to reason that Trump is quite moderate, but since they call him far-right, he’s literal Hitler. What policy position does he take that’s out of the mainstream? If people voted for positions and policy without a name on there, they would assume he’s the centrist because he is.
Very true. Trump has absolutely no ‘extreme’ policy positions.
‘Moderate in context means democrat lite. Something maybe a little left of a Romney, or a little to the right of a Manchin.
No thanks.
droolin’ Joe with two more brain cells.
Define moderate.
The left?
My aunt, who wants to nationalize the petroleum industry, federally fund late term abortions on demand, and advocates for single payor health care, considers herself to be a ‘moderate’ too.
Supports torturing and slaughtering innocent Muslims.
Eat shit and die, steaming pile of lefty shit.
Who supports thst?
Lizard Cheney…the woman you masturbate to.
How can they not find a candidate? Can they not step outside their office, close their eyes, spin around three times, and pick the first person they point to?
They’d be pointing at each other and never agree on a compromise candidate.
How about they each have a derringer and last man (woman, non binary) standing gets that sweet ballot access?
They said they wanted someone with a chance of winning.
Have you seen the opposition? Random person off the street can’t lose.
That TDS is getting serious. Hope it’s fatal.
Biden Derangement Syndrome killed a lot of white trash in Florida because they thought ivermectin worked better than vaccines. And what makes it even worse is they survived a bad case of Hillary Derangement Syndrome only to get BDS.
I can’t believe retards still believe ivermectin is horse paste.
Ivermectin prescriptions spiked during the southeast Delta death surge—it’s ineffective at least as recommended by DeSantis lil’ bitch surgeon general.
Fuck off and die.
Just to piss you off I am going to eat healthy and attempt to live to 100 years old!! Suck on that, neocon!!
Fuck off and die, steaming pile of lefty shit.
Shreek, this new sock isn’t helping you.
This is a Pluggo sock, right?
100%.
Did you assume there was a point mixed in there?
Glad your ally Julie Powell died from a jab-induced hairy tongue. How about all those “died suddenly” cases, hicklib?
The US is NOT “souring” on Israel’s war on Hammas. The US is polarizing on Israel’s war on Hammas.
Calling is a war on Palestine is just like using stupid assault rifle and other gaslighting terms. Palestine had their chances for peace, and squandered them every time over 50 years. If they want to be puppets of Iran, they can go to Iran.
…just like using stupid assault rifle and other gaslighting terms.
Assault rifle is correct (StG 44 or Sturmgewehr 44 literally means assault rifle 44); I think you meant assault weapon, which is an ambiguous, bullshit term that may be applied to everything from a firearm to a loaf of pumpernickel bread.*
Forgot the link to my citation.
Doddingdale
Pronounced, “Dingle”.
And hamas turned down yet another cease fire just yesterday.
Israel is better off killing them all. Hamas cannot be reasoned with.
If they’re doing that do you think they’d mind us tossing invoue Hamas supporters? Since they’ve already started and all.
I would be thrilled to sport all our Hamas sympathizers. Although right now these useful idiots are protesting and making public assholes of themselves. Which really isn’t helping Biden score points with other possible marks, I mean democrat voters.
So let’s ship them out the day after the election.
‘Export’
Hamas attacked made a vicious, unprovoked attack on Israeli civilians. This is what they get for doing that. And the ‘Palestinians’ largely support that attack.
This is what they get in return. I have zero sympathy. Israel should exterminate Hamas. Case closed.
Hamas must have known their horrific attack on Israel would provoke a disproportionate response and ensure their deaths, and the deaths of thousands of Gazans. I can only assume they thought it would start a wider Mideast war, with other nations joining in to attack Israel.
A ceasefire would be nice, for the people of Gaza. And Hamas could have had a ceasefire at any time, by releasing all of the hostages and turning over anyone involved in the Oct 7th attacks to an international tribunal for justice and public hangings.
Hamas is being propped up by the Iranian regime. I wouldn’t be shocked if their forthcoming nuclear weapon made an appearance after the November election here.
With American public opinion souring on Israel’s war against Hamas
The antisemitic MSM is winning.
“Notably, and very unlike No Labels, those three candidates plus West are all considerably more dovish on foreign policy than either President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump.”
Dunno about that. Trump has a four year track record of being pretty “dovish” on foreign policy. Biden has a track record of dragging us into multiple wars and the worst may be yet to come. RFK Jr. is a full on supporter of Israel. Although he couldn’t possibly be worse than Biden. The rest don’t matter. At all. And they never will. I know it’s hard for Welch to admit but if there is a viable anti war candidate in this race it is Donald Trump. Or he can reluctantly and strategically vote for WW3.
If you listen to Sullum Trump declared war on the USA.
‘…Or he can reluctantly and *stupidly* vote for WW3…’
And then whine about the results; TDS drastically lowers the IQ.
Combat deaths hit 800 a year under Bush…Obama/Trump got it around 15 a year. Biden has it in single digits and we are apparently all over the globe fucking shit up!!!! Go fuck yourself you flappy pussy!! I like fucking shit up with very few combat deaths!!
Thankfully, Democrats in urban blue shitholes are still killing themselves daily.
Perhaps out newest steaming pile of lefty shit can do the same.
And how will that work when China invades Taiwan? Or when hostilities with Russia escalate. Or are you too stupid to think that far ahead?
Other countries were afraid of Trump because he was unpredictable. No one is afraid of Biden. Notice how Russia didn’t invade Ukraine until after the supposedly pro-Russia Trump had left office.
Putin invading Ukraine has been an unmitigated disaster—NATO is stronger than in 40 years and America is energy dominant!!! Biden has played everything perfectly!
SBF is a steaming pile of lefty shit who would make the world a better place if s/he fucked off and died.
Sorry, I am not in to East German men…go bark up some other tree.
I’m guessing from some tells (like calling others neocons, the gay insults/innuendo, and talking about how we’re “energy dominant”) that this is a sock for SPB2. I could be wrong, obviously, but this troll account has a lot of similar traits to SPB2.
Could well be; the lame replies addressing nothing at all suggest the same mid-two-digit IQ
Yep, you’re Shrike. The energy independent propaganda is a dead giveaway. You’re the only one who raves about that among the usual Marxist suspects.
Just kill yourself kiddie raper.
No, third party sentiment is NOT alive and well. Nothing has changed and nothing will change as long as the two-party system controls the Congress and the state legislatures. The place to start to destroy the two-party stranglehold on political power in the United States is NOT at the Presidential level – it can only happen from the grass roots up and THAT can only happen with a Proportional Representation election system. Every effort we make and every dollar we spend now should be aimed at changing to a PR system in every state of the Union and NOTHING ELSE!
Proportional representation makes political parties even more important.
I never said that political parties were not important. I said that third parties can never have any influence on business as usual in the government until there are actual representatives in the Congress and state legislatures. If Libertarians had even 10 percent of the Representatives in the state legislatures and Congress it would make a huge difference in the ability of either the Republican caucus or the Democratic caucus to ram legislation and spending authorizations through. Once voters realized that their votes actually counted, the proportion of caucus votes would settle on the actual range of political opinions issue by issue instead of holding their noses and voting for the lesser of two evils or not voting at all.
Third party candidates will never win at the state or local level. Most voters don’t even know their Representatives in Congress or the state house by name, they just vote the party label. At least a Presidential candidate could be (or could become) well known nationally. Perot proved that. Gary Johnson had a chance to.
The 2024 Libertarian candidate for Prez. whomever the no-name person is they pick, will be lucky to get 500,000 votes this time around.
And TDS-addled steaming piles of shit like you continue in your TDS-addled campaign.
Were you born this stupid, or did you spend many years practicing to become such a fucking ignoramus?
“centrist” is just a term for status-quo pussies with no principles. They just want to keep taxing and spending into oblivious while bombing the middle east to dust and call it the “centrist reasonable middle ground”
Fuck centrists. I want extremists.
The center is defined by the extremes anyway.
“…Fuck centrists. I want extremists.”
‘If only Trump was just another swamp critter, I’d vote for him’: Brandyshit, Sandy and the other TDS-addled twits
It is indeed a middle ground, but you neglect to ask between what and what.
A douche and a turd sandwich, duh. The middle position is a very wet turd sandwich. Think French dip, but nasty.
Which of those is the best POTUS we’ve had for the last hundred years, or can we just assume you are yet one more steaming pile of TDS-addled shit?
Since Reagan? Probably Bill Clinton, as much as a I hate to say it. Only spent 2 trillion a year, reformed welfare, avoided major wars, and didn’t add much to the national debt. He would be considered a pro-austerity Republican now.
Only because a R-dominated congress saved us from Hilary-care
It means ‘democrat lite’.
I don’t think these folks or Matt Welch understand how much real libertarians and even conservatives hate this bunch. There can’t be a moderate position when the other side is ramming cultural marxism and globalism down our throat. End the Fed, stop all deficit spending, close down any federal agency created after 1960 (to start) and all foreign interventions..including this ridiculous obsession with Israel (basically an eastern european ethno nationalistic state in the arab world).
WTH does No Labels stand for? Being disgusted with the major parties is a fine sentiment but it isn’t something to vote for.
Sounds popular to me.
I’d vote for it. My requirements for president are pretty lax I think: Cannot be a felon and must have a pulse. Sadly, I guess there won’t be much to pick from this year.
The only platform I’ll vote for involves budgetary restraint, reduction of the federal bureaucracy, border control, and deregulation. Which is all now ‘extreme’. And I pretty sure these ‘no label’ people just represent watered down democrat policies that are the opposite of all that. Just a bunch of Romneys and Manchins.
No thanks.
>The centrist establishment lane in third party presidential politics remains empty.
I guess its ‘centrist’ if you have no principles except gaining the White House.
In other words, anyone they would actually consider for their ticket would hurt Biden more than Trump.
It seems obvious that anyone reasonably well known and popular, like say, Mark Cuban, would instantly pass the decrepit and mentally unfit Biden and the reviled Trump as a viable candidate, if he payed lip service to the woke, avoided divisive cultural issues, and promised to be fiscally conservative and pro-business (within reasonable limits).
The problem is, Biden’s support is very, very soft, and the backup candidates in the Dem party are either demonstrably incompetent (Harris, Buttigieg, etc.) or widely reviled (Newsom, Hochul, Whitmer, etc.) But Trump’s support is solidly committed, so much so that they rejected a successful governor (DeSantis) to stick with the monster.
“…stick with the monster.”
Mean tweets are far more important than policy, right?
We can hope your TDS proves fatal; the world will be a better place.
I’ll take mean tweets and Queen’s coarseness all day long if it means escaping democrat Marxism.
No Labels, which is itself a label, didn’t say “no mas”. EVERY potential candidate they tried to recruit said no.
Heck. Why didn’t they ask me? I’m 35+, an American citizen, and I’m not currently and never have been suspected let alone convicted of any high crimes or misdemeanors and I’m provably alive. Here’s my campaign promises:
– I will do absolutely nothing. I’ll just kick up my feet and pocket veto everything that crosses my desk.
Well, your raging case of TDS kinds suggest your IQ is a bit lower than we’d like to see in a POTUS.
This group will endorse Biden..or at least bad mouth Trump. Judging by Ms. Jacobson’s background it is to ensure both parties toe the neocon Israeli firster AIPAC gospel.
An empty seat would be the ideal president. No executive orders. Auto veto all laws, so they have to go back to congress for a larger margin vote.
“No President” would be a political party I could get behind.
Only problem with that is the resulting unchecked growth of the Administrative State. That’s why I would say, if NotA wins, the executive branch shrinks by 10% of its budget every year- see my proposal on the earlier article this morning.
Look what they did to Trump. Do you really think that will work?
“An empty seat would be the ideal president…”
Another TDS-addled shit-pile posted here a couple of months back, whining that Biden was able to dismantle everything Trump had accomplished, meaning he had reversed all of Trumps gains.
Simply put, we were better off when Trump left office than when he took it, but TDS-addled piles of shit will continue the adolescent focus on personality, TDS addled steaming pile of shit.
Please, make the world a better place: Fuck off and die.
I favor eliminating the democrat party and cleansing America of Marxists.
At least they’re honest about it, quitting rather than inducing people to vote for non-serious candidates, i.e. those who have no chance to win and have only a minuscule constituency.