What wasn't was a challenge from a third party.
The No Labels group announced Thursday that it will not field a third-party candidate to challenge Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump in the November presidential election.
The move comes as the organization, which has promoted itself as a bipartisan antidote to America's hyper-partisan politics, has failed to attract prominent centrists to its ranks. The United States has long been dominated by two major political parties, the Republican and Democratic parties, and third-party candidates generally fail to gain traction. They are often accused of siphoning votes from mainstream candidates.
“No Labels has always said we issue ballots only when we can identify a candidate with a credible path to winning the White House,” said Nancy Jacobson, the group's CEO. '', he said in a statement to alliance officials.
“No such candidate has emerged, so the responsible action for us to take is to resign.”
The announcement further cemented the general election showdown between Biden and Trump, both of whom occupy the White House and whose popularity has soared in recent months.
The update leaves Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the scion of the Kennedy political dynasty and anti-vaccine activist, as the only prominent outsider still seeking the presidency.
President Kennedy said this week that he had collected enough signatures to qualify for the fall ballot in five states.
The decision to no labels comes just days after the death of founding chairman Joe Lieberman, a former Democratic senator and vice presidential candidate who became a political independent during his final term.
Thursday's move ends months of internal negotiations at No Labels, during which the group raised tens of millions of dollars from a secret list of donors.
Democrats feared the ticket would hurt Biden, especially in key battleground states, threatening to tear apart the coalition of diverse voters seen as the best path to victory. No Labels did not name all of the delegates, and much of the deliberations were held in secret, further raising concerns that Biden's chances would be lost.
“Millions of Americans are relieved that No Labels finally did the right thing in keeping Donald Trump out of the White House,” said No Labels critic and executive director of the progressive group Move On. Lana Epting said.
“Now, it's time for Robert Kennedy Jr. to see the writing on the wall that a third party has no path to the presidency. Donald Trump, the greatest threat to our democracy and our country. We must come together to defeat it.”
Kennedy's campaign did not immediately comment.
No Labels previously announced it was eligible to appear on ballots in 21 states.
But several presidential candidates said they would not be the group's standard bearers. Among them is former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who called off her bid for the Republican presidential nomination last month.
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who has long been a source of turmoil within the party, has also ruled out running, and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a centrist Republican, has decided to run instead.
Last month, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican candidate for president in 2024, also said he would not run under the No Label banner.
The group was considering a so-called “unitary ticket” with one major party's presidential candidate and the other's vice presidential candidate to appeal to voters dissatisfied with both Biden and Trump.
Matt Bennett of the centrist group Third Way, which has been fighting NoLabels' 2024 ambitions, said: “We are deeply relieved that everyone has rejected the offer and been forced to resign.” “Although the threat of third-party spoilers remains, this unique and damaging attack on President Biden and the Democratic Party from the centrist camp is finally over.”
Dan DuProw, 33, a salesman in Philadelphia who was supposed to be a delegate to the No Label convention, said Thursday's decision was disappointing but wise. He said he trusts Nolabels' leadership to make the right decisions.
“I understand why they made the decision and I think it's the right thing to do at this time,” Duprow told The Associated Press. “But I'm very disappointed that we have Trump and Biden again. I think this is very scary for our country.”
Mr. Duprow said he would now decide between Mr. Biden and Mr. Kennedy.
“I'm excited to have options outside of the two major parties,” he said.