No Labels
501(c)(4) | |
Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
---|---|
Region served | United States |
CEO | Nancy Jacobson |
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Website | www |
No Labels is an American political organization whose stated mission is to support
On April 4, 2024, the organization ended its effort to run a presidential ticket for the 2024 United States presidential election. The New York Times said that the death of its chairman Joe Lieberman on March 27 meant the organization had "little political firepower to recruit potential candidates".
History
Founding
No Labels was founded on December 13, 2010, with the slogan "Not Left. Not Right. Forward". Organizers said the aim was to organize American voters against partisanship in politics and encourage a "common ground" approach to problem solving. The group's early efforts were viewed by some skeptics as an attempt to support a potential third party presidential campaign for Michael Bloomberg in 2012, which he and No Labels denied. No Labels had relatively few Republicans at its first conference in 2010,[5] and criticism of the movement at the time came largely from the right.[6][relevant? ]
Congress
In January 2013, No Labels promoted an informal "Problem Solvers" caucus in Congress for members of the
In 2017, the group helped to formally start the Problem Solvers Caucus in the House of Representatives, a bipartisan group of approximately 60 congressional members.
Before the 2019–2020 House term, No Labels released a plan to enhance bipartisan cooperation in Congress called The Speaker Project. Several planks from this proposal were later included in an agreement that the Problem Solvers Caucus reached with Speaker Nancy Pelosi.[10] that some praised as practical and necessary,[11] while others claimed it might give House Republicans[11] and/or corporate interests[12] more power for that term.[13]
In 2021, the Problem Solvers Caucus released a "Building Bridges" blueprint for a bipartisan infrastructure deal. It was the first deal to be endorsed by Republicans and Democrats during that budget cycle.[14][relevant? ]
2024 presidential ticket
No Labels intended to run a bipartisan "unity ticket" in the 2024 presidential election, as an "insurance policy" in the event that "both major parties nominate presidential candidates that the vast majority of Americans don’t want". In November 2023, No Labels' chief strategist, Ryan Clancy, stated that "Based on the conditions as they are, we expect to be putting up a ticket early next year".[15] By February 2024, the New York Times described the efforts as having "foundered for months now" with the group's most high-profile potential candidates ruling-out running on a No Labels ticket.[16]
Joe Manchin was perhaps the most high-profile candidate sought by No Labels, but in mid-February he ruled out a 2024 presidential run, citing timing and to avoid being a spoiler.[17][16] Congressman Dean Phillips said he would consider running on the No Labels ticket if polling suggested that Biden would end up losing to Trump,[18] but reversed his statement a day later.[19][20] Former Republican governors Larry Hogan,[21] Jon Huntsman[22] and Nikki Haley,[23] have all denied interest in a presidential run on the No Labels ticket.
No Labels and its supporters cited polling showing voters' disapproval of the presumptive 2024 Democratic and Republican presidential nominees. In August 2022, No Labels released a poll of voters in eight battleground states, finding 63% of voters open to a "moderate independent" presidential candidate,
The effort was criticized by some
Mike Rawlings confirmed in March 2024 that the organization still intended to field a presidential candidate.[47] Chairman Joe Lieberman announced the candidate selection process, discussing the creation of the "Country Over Party Committee", a group of 12 individuals which would vet and select a presidential and vice presidential candidate. At that point, the decision would be voted on by delegates of the organization.[48] By then, No Labels had ballot access in 16 states:[16] Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii,[49] Kansas,[50] Maine,[49] Maryland,[51] Mississippi, Montana,[52] Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota, and Utah.[49]
On April 4, 2024, the organization ended its effort to run a presidential ticket for the 2024 election.[53] The New York Times said that Lieberman's death on March 27 meant the organization had "little political firepower to recruit potential candidates".[54] Joe Cunningham, the national director for No Labels, said the group was "looking for a hero and a hero never emerged."[55]
In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times later that month, No Labels lawyer Dan K. Webb stated that Christie had agreed in March to be a presidential candidate for the organization, but a Democratic vice presidential nominee could not be found.[56]
Legal disputes
Arizona
The
After No Labels attained recognition,
Durst lawsuit
In January 2024, real estate heirs Douglas Durst and his cousin, Jonathan, sued No Labels alleging a "bait and switch" scheme had been used to finance their third-party presidential campaign. The Durst family says it has donated to No Labels since 2016, when the group's messaging focused on bipartisan policy legislation, but contend that No Labels' presidential ambitions are a breach of their donor's trust. According to No Labels, the Dursts have not donated in several years.[62]
Maine
In May 2023, the Secretary of State of Maine, Democrat Shenna Bellows, sent No Labels a cease and desist letter after accusing the organization of misleading voters into registering for the party. She claimed that No Labels misrepresented voter registrations as petitions, and informed each registrant how to change their party affiliation. No Labels argued that Bellows' actions could amount to voter suppression and responded by stating that their organizers were instructed to ask voters to join their party, and noted that the form signed by voters is titled "Maine Voter Registration Application". While 798 people who received letters from Bellows unenrolled from No Labels, the group still had enough registered voters to qualify for the Maine ballot.[63][64] In January 2024, the party was confirmed as a qualified political party giving them ballot access.[65] No Labels has rejected a state-run primary in Maine.[66]
Intimidation complaint
In January 2024, No Labels filed a complaint with the
Funding
No Labels does not disclose its donors' identities, citing the potential for lobbying and pressure campaigns for major donors to stop backing the organization. IRS section 501(c) organizations are not legally required to disclose their donors.[68] This lack of transparency has been a major source of criticism for the organization[69] alongside critiques that the group prioritizes the wellbeing of wealthy donors instead of policies with broad appeal that could reduce partisanship.[70][71][72][12] The Intercept and Jacobin report examples of the group working to block tax increases on the wealthiest Americans and corporations.[73][74]
Early donors to No Labels include board member
Leadership
Nancy Jacobson has been the board president since the founding of the organization and as of 2022, CEO.[91] In December 2020, No Labels announced Maryland governor Larry Hogan, as a national co-chair (prominent spokesperson[92]) to serve alongside the No Labels founding co-chair Joe Lieberman.[93] In January 2023, former NAACP executive director Benjamin Chavis joined Hogan as national co-chair.[94] In June 2023, former North Carolina governor Pat McCrory joined as a national co-chair.[95] Hogan stepped down as co-chair in December 2023.[96]
Nancy Jacobson and Jerald S. Howe Jr. (board treasurer) have been on the board since the founding of the group in 2010.
Controversies
Based on 14 interviews with former employees in December 2022, Politico described a "cutthroat culture" within No Labels which one former aide called "toxic".[100] In response to the criticism, several senior officials for the group described to Politico the complaints as coming from "aggrieved ex-workers" who could not "adapt" to a demanding office culture.[100] In August 2023, a Black former outreach manager of No Labels sued the political organization, claiming she was discriminated against because of her race and retaliated against for reporting the alleged discrimination.[101]
Politico reported that in addition to requiring non-disclosure agreements, Nancy Jacobson has been accused by former employees of asking staff members to obscure where they work on LinkedIn, allegedly, in order to make it more difficult for journalists to interview No Labels employees.[100]
See also
- Forward Party
- Mark Penn
- Political moderate
- Reagan Democrat
- Reform Party
- Spoiler candidate
- Third party
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