Third Way Warns Against No Labels’ Presidential Ticket, Citing Risk of Trump Return

Prominent Democratic-backed think tank Third Way has sounded the alarm about the possibility of a third-party presidential ticket in 2024, warning it could cost Democrats the White House and open the door for a former President Donald Trump return.

The group sent a memo to Democratic groups, outlining the ways in which a third-party ticket would tank the Democrats’ chances of keeping the White House in 2024. The memo pointed out that third-party candidates typically do poorly in general elections and argued that No Labels, a political organization currently courting centrist lawmakers in both parties to create a “unity ticket,” wouldn’t have a large enough base of support to win.^[0]

Third Way also argued that No Labels’s efforts to cast Biden and Trump as equally extreme is a “smokescreen” and that the group’s efforts to field a candidate will “make it far more likely — if not certain — that Donald Trump returns to the White House.”^[1]

No Labels has responded to this criticism, tweeting Thursday night that “no one” with the organization has “any interest in fueling a spoiler effort.”^[1] The group also stated that it has raised more than $46 million and has more than 400 volunteers seeking ballot access in several battleground states.^[2]

Third Way’s Jim Kessler told Insider that the “No Labels” effort is “going to hurt Biden and help Trump.”^[3] No Labels has yet to reveal who they will select to be their third-party ticket, however they intend to hold a nominating convention in April.^[2] The group has vowed to compete for ballot access in at least 23 states and has already secured spots on the Colorado and Arizona ballots.^[2]

0. “No Labels: The centrist party Democrats fear could play spoiler in 2024” Washington Examiner, 12 Mar. 2023, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/who-is-centrist-group-no-labels

1. “The newest political party on the ballot in three states has Democrats terrified” Fox News, 12 Mar. 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/politics/the-newest-political-party-on-the-ballot-in-three-states-has-democrats-terrified

2. “Democratic group warns about ‘spoiler' third-party ticket that could hand Trump the presidency” msnNOW, 7 Mar. 2023, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democratic-group-warns-about-spoiler-third-party-ticket-that-could-hand-trump-the-presidency/ar-AA18jCa3

3. “Third-party candidate push will ‘hurt Biden and help Trump' in 2024, Democratic group warns” Yahoo! Voices, 10 Mar. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/news/third-party-candidate-push-hurt-224342968.html