Newest Party On Ballot Spells Trouble For Joe
With the 2024 presidential election looming, a new political party has emerged that could potentially give Republicans the edge they need to stay in power. No Labels, a group that claims to offer voters a centrist third–party option, has won ballot access in three states: Colorado, Arizona and Oregon.
The movement has been met with both skepticism and criticism, as many Democrats fear it could act as a “spoiler” and hand the presidency to the GOP. A recent memo from the think tank Third Way argued that history shows third–party candidates rarely attract enough support to make a meaningful difference in the election, and most often pick up voters who would have otherwise voted for the Democratic candidate.
While No Labels insists its proposed “unity ticket” would draw support from both Republican and Democrat–leaning voters, the group’s “Policy Playbook For America’s Next President” lays out reforms that are generally favorable to GOP lawmakers. This includes simplifying the tax code, securing energy independence by 2024, balancing the budget by 2030 and reducing regulations.
The group has also courted centrist lawmakers, including Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, I–Ariz., and Joe Manchin, D–W.Va., at a February conference in Florida. However, the group has seen some internal controversy, with its highest–paid employee, Mark Halperin, resigning earlier this week following accusations of sexual misconduct.
“The center is still going to be where people are going to have to gather around in order to get anything done,” Manchin said, according to Politico.
Ultimately, only time will tell if No Labels will be able to make a significant impact in the upcoming election. If it does, it could prove a major obstacle for President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign and a major boon for Republicans.
BREAKING: No Labels, the newest political party has gained enough support to appear on 2024 presidential election ballots in Colorado, Arizona and Oregon. the new party reportedly has Democrats terrified. The group says both Biden and Trump are extreme. https://t.co/ok7vzWYUps… https://t.co/iNHucHXc4D pic.twitter.com/o7rEWS0tOl
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) March 12, 2023