By nature, Democrats are worrywarts. They worry about everything. Now, their big worry is about 2024. They worry that Donald Trump, with all his baggage, could still get reelected. Or they worry that Trump might stumble and be replaced by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who could prove a more effective candidate and more dangerous president.
But, for 2024, their worry is misdirected.
Democrats aren’t wrong to worry. They’re just wrong to worry about Trump, DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.), former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley or any of the other Republican candidates.
The real danger in 2024? Not the Republican opposition, but a misguided gang of once-upon-a-time Democrats who call themselves No Labels.
No Labels was founded in 2010 by current CEO Nancy Jacobson, wife of former, disaffected Bill and Hillary Clinton pollster Mark Penn, with the goal of being a refuge for politicians of both parties not always willing to toe the party line. So far, so good; No Labels was instrumental in forming the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in the House of Representatives, which has been a positive force, especially in tricky budget negotiations.
But No Labels has now ventured into dangerous territory. It’s announced plans to raise $70 million to run an independent, Republican-Democrat ticket in 2024. It’s already qualified for the ballot in five states and expects to be on the ballot in 20 states by the end of the year.
Why? Because, No Labels argues, both major parties have gone to extremes. The Democratic Party has moved too far to the left, they say, and the Republican Party, too far to the right.
Plus, most Americans don’t want to see a rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. So, voters need a third choice, the chance to vote for a centrist candidate.
All of which may sound good, but is, in fact, completely nutty.
Let’s start with the obvious. There’s no need to search for a centrist candidate who’s willing to work with members of the opposition to get stuff done. We already have one. He’s sitting in the Oval Office. He may not get much credit, but Joe Biden’s already negotiated and signed major bipartisan deals on COVID-19 relief, infrastructure, gun control, the CHIPS and Science Act and the deficit deal.
Yet, instead of validating and lining up support for the man who’s delivered on everything they pretend to stand for, No Labels is out to undermine him.
Let’s face it. An independent candidate can never win. We’ve seen enough of them — George Wallace in 1968, John Anderson in 1980, Ralph Nader in 2000, Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996, Gary Johnson in 2016, Jill Stein in 2016 — to know the end result.
Not one of them has won a single state since George Wallace won five states in 1968. Perot snagged 18.9 percent of the popular vote in 1992, but not one singular electoral vote.
All a No Labels candidate would do is take votes away from Biden and help Trump, just like Perot helped elect Bill Clinton in 1992 and Nader handed the 2000 election to George W. Bush.
In 2020, Biden won six of seven states where the margin of victory was three points or less: Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Michigan. Even a weak third-party candidate in 2024 would put those 79 potential electoral votes for Biden at risk.
There may come a time for a viable third-party candidate, but not now. The prospect of a second Trump presidency is a threat to our democracy.
This is not the time to play games. No time, no support, no money, no votes for No Labels.
Press is host of “The Bill Press Pod.” He is the author of “From the Left: A Life in the Crossfire.”