Those seeking to block a third option in 2024 are the real danger to democracy

In June, two dark money groups hosted private meetings in Washington, D.C. with senior Democratic congressional officials to plot against a third-party presidential ticket in 2024.

Their target was the group No Labels, which is working to gain ballot access for a potential independent unity ticket featuring a Republican and Democrat as running mates. Those scheming to stop No Labels continue to fall back on a single word to describe the effort: “dangerous.”

What’s so dangerous about providing voters an alternative to President Biden and former President Trump? According to these Democrats, a third ticket would help elect Trump by “stealing” voters from Biden.

But their argument crumbles under the slightest bit of scrutiny. Data show that a third ticket’s effect on the race depends on who the candidate is. As Karl Rove, former senior advisor to President George W. Bush, argued recently in the Wall Street Journal, a Republican atop the No Labels ticket could easily cost Trump the election.

Furthermore, No Labels cites its own internal polling showing that an independent centrist ticket would pull evenly from both sides, exactly as Ross Perot’s candidacy did in 1992. A No Labels poll of the eight top battleground states found that 72 percent of voters believe more choices on the ballot leads to a “healthier and more vibrant democracy,” while only a quarter believe it introduces “spoiler candidates.”

The real reason these Democratic elites find No Labels so “dangerous” is that it opens up a new front of competition. It would force the parties to compete for the center of the electorate, which would undermine the extremist powers that currently dominate the Democratic and Republican establishments.

And of course, that’s the whole idea. It’s exactly what our country needs and what millions of disaffected voters want. In fact, 69 percent of voters, representing majorities in both parties, show support for groups like No Labels getting on the ballot.

That’s why the real danger to America is not No Labels, but those fighting to keep it off the ballot at any cost. By preventing new competitors from emerging, these elites threaten to stifle innovation in our political system and discourage much-needed reform. By sowing mistrust and confusion, they are doing exactly what they accuse Trump of: suppressing voters and throwing sand in the gears of democracy.

Organizing for the ballot has been upheld by the Supreme Court multiple times as protected speech under the First Amendment. There is clear and present danger in anyone — Trump or otherwise — undermining the voting and speech rights of any American.

It’s also dangerous to continue on the road that we’re on. It’s clear to common-sense Americans that something is broken in our politics. Our two-party system is reinforcing an “us versus them” mentality that is turning Americans against each other. The longer our political establishment ignores, disenfranchises and seeks to actively silence the center, the more the consequences of political division and disillusionment will manifest across our society and culture.

The political status quo is also dangerous because it prevents our government from solving problems. From immigration to crime to the deficits and debt, America faces serious policy challenges that require both sides to work together. No sustainable solution ever comes from single party action. The solutions that last come from bipartisan consensus and cooperation—something that seems nearly extinct in Washington, D.C. today.

No Labels hopes to change that. Naturally, those who benefit from the broken status quo are calling the effort dangerous — because for them, it is. For others in Washington, now is a time to decide whether you are on the side of the party elites, or that of the citizens and the Constitution. These leaders should be aware that 73 percent of voters believe that “working to block the listing of more choices on the ballot for president” represents an act of voter suppression.

For millions of Americans who are tired of our broken politics, the danger isn’t in trying to do something about it and failing. The danger is in doing nothing. Most of all, the danger is in allowing party leaders to decide who our choices should be for president. If party elites were so great at making decisions, perhaps we wouldn’t need a third choice in the first place. 

Margaret White is co-executive director No Labels.