No champions for No Labels means yes problems

How a lack of eager candidates is threatening the political organizations chances of making an impact in the 2024 election

As the new year begins, No Labels has a serious problem: no one wants to run on their ticket.

The political organization made headlines in 2023 by expressing their interest in creating a third-party "unity ticket" consisting of a Republican and a Democrat to run against the presumptive nominees of the two major parties, President Joe Biden (D) and former President Donald Trump. Members of the organization argue there is an opening for a third-party ticket, citing polls showing voters dissatisfied with the candidates being offered to them.

On Jan. 28, however, an article on CNN's website revealed that one of No Labels's top picks for president may not be interested in running. 

The article, written by Edward-Issac Dovere, was focused on the possible presidential ambitions of West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin III (D). The story also contained new information about another potential candidate for No Labels, former Governor of Maryland Larry Hogan. Hogan, who has served as the group's co-chair, stepped down in December 2024, stoking speculation he would run on the unity ticket. According to Dovere, those reports turned out to be wrong.

"Larry Hogan, the Republican former governor of Maryland, quit the No Labels board last month over frustration that power and information were being hoarded by group leadership – and not to, as reported elsewhere, clear the way for a presidential run of his own. It's been far less organized than he expected it to be," and "he doesn't see a plan coming together," a person familiar with Hogan's thinking told CNN. "You don't know where this train is going, and you're signing up for something you didn't necessarily sign up for."

Dovere's reporting paints a damning picture of an organization with a lack of discipline and a lack of enthusiasm among its supporters. Of the republican politicians listed as potential candidates for No Labels, Hogan had been the most vocal and open to running for president. 

However, with his recent endorsement of former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (R) and the truth of his stepping down revealed by CNN, the chances of Hogan jumping into the fray have become less clear. 

Some might argue that Hogan is simply one of many choices for No Labels, but the truth is that no one appears ready, willing and able to take the daunting task of running for president on the fabled unity ticket.

Haley and her former 2024 rival, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R), have quashed the idea of joining No Labels once Trump becomes the nominee. While Christie's reason for not joining the organization is unknown, it is likely that Haley sees another opening in 2028 as the next generation of Republican leadership after Trump. While this scenario is unlikely due to the GOP becoming more Trump-like by the day, Haley's reasoning has some merit, as she is almost certain she will become the runner-up in the primaries. 

No Labels's problem also extends to non-presidential candidates.

Utah Senator Mitt Romney (R) and former Governor of Utah Jon Huntsman (R) have also declined to run on the presumptive ticket. Huntsman, a supporter of No Labels who joined Senator Joe Manchin for a listening session in New Hampshire last year, told Deseret News that it was "unlikely" he would run for office again, even on a No Labels ticket.

Considering that most of No Labels's supporters are Republicans disillusioned with their party, the number of politicians saying they would not be interested in running on the unity ticket is startling. 

So why is this happening?

Aside from the fact that most candidates seem to admit that No Labels is unlikely to reach 10% in polling as of now (most of the candidates are stuck at 7% in most polls), the heart of the issue appears to be related to leadership.

Returning to Dovere's article, it is written that Hogan's departure resulted from leadership keeping information from him and the rest of his colleagues. Said information includes the mechanism for picking a candidate for president, who would be picked as delegates and, most importantly, if there is even a plan to establish a ticket in March of this year.

The clash between No Labels leadership and their members has been a story brewing in the background but has not been pushed into the spotlight by the media. In April of last year, the Atlanta Civic Circle reported that the Georgia chapter of No Labels would not field a third-party presidential candidate. 

"Instead, No Labels Georgia is focusing on Gold Dome politics. They are currently trying to help build a bipartisan Problem Solvers caucus in the Georgia General Assembly similar to the one in the U.S. House of Representatives."

This pushback from the local chapter illustrates the disconnect between leadership and members of No Labels, with one only focused on a presidential run and the other pushing for down-ballot organization, a plan seemingly not endorsed by No Labels leadership.

In Arizona, one of the states that has given No Labels ballot access, the organization successfully pushed to prevent non-presidential candidates from running on their party line. This move indicates that No Labels has no desire to expand its goals beyond a presidential ticket.

This move also goes against the thinking of Joe Manchin, who has been coy about his ambitions for president. In the CNN article, Dovere writes that Manchin views No Labels as a ballot access organization and that he would run on their ballot line. If this line of thinking is accurate, Manchin may encounter issues with No Labels leadership, as they want to control the candidate selection process.  

The article also highlights Manchin's frustration with the organization's withholding information from him and how he does not control No Labels's planning. 

Indeed, how No Labels' selects a candidate has been murky, with the organization even scrapping its Texas convention set for April this year. 

And yet, the process of picking a candidate does not matter if no one is eager to run on their ticket. With no champions for No Labels, the organization will be left with no options.