A prominent Democratic-backed think tank is sounding the alarm about possible efforts to create a third-party presidential ticket in 2024, warning such a move would cost Democrats the presidency and open the door for former President Donald Trump to return to the White House.
In a recent memo sent out by Third Way, the left-leaning policy group outlined the ways in which a third-party ticket would tank Democrats’ chances of defending the White House in 2024. The think tank specifically pointed to efforts by the group No Labels, which is currently courting centrist lawmakers in both parties to create a so-called “unity ticket” that offers an alternative to “divisive” candidates.
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“For No Labels, the moderate President [Joe] Biden falls into this ‘unacceptable’ category,” the group wrote in its memo. “The bottom line: Their candidate cannot win the presidency [and] such a candidate ‘will succeed in electing Trump.’”
No Labels has been quietly working to craft a bipartisan third-party ticket for over a year, looking to give voters an alternative option to candidates they view as extreme. As of September, the group has already raised more than $46 million and has more than 400 volunteers seeking ballot access in several battleground states, according to the New York Times.
The group has vowed to compete for ballot access in at least 23 states and has already secured a spot on the Colorado ballot, according to the memo. No Labels has not yet indicated who they would nominate as their third-party ticket, but the group plans to hold a nominating convention in April.
The No Labels ticket is meant to act as an “insurance policy,” with the group vowing to drop its bid if either party nominates a candidate who is acceptable to centrist voters. It is unclear what qualifications a candidate would need to meet to be "acceptable."
If both parties are unable to do so, the group said it would move ahead with its third-party plan — prompting pushback from Third Way, who argued the strategy was a long-shot bid at best.
“No Labels is arguing this is a unique historical moment that gives their ‘unity ticket’ a real shot at winning the White House,” the memo states. “But that is an illusion. The data and historical evidence are clear: no third-party candidate would come close to winning.”
Third Way pointed to evidence showing third-party candidates typically do poorly in general elections, arguing that independent voters “is not a base that can win.”
Going further, Third Way warned that not only would the group fail to garner enough momentum to win the White House, it would instead create a “spoiler” situation that would reelect Trump or a Trump-like candidate.
“Even if the GOP nominee isn’t Trump, it will almost certainly be a MAGA-aligned candidate,” the group wrote.
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In its memo, Third Way criticized No Labels for seeking to place Biden and Trump on the same playing field, accusing the group of creating a candidate pool that would provide a crucial boost to the GOP.
“Moreover, No Labels casts Biden and Trump as equally extreme and frames their ticket as an antidote to a rematch. But this is a smokescreen,” they wrote. “They’ll make it far more likely — if not certain — that Donald Trump returns to the White House.”