No Labels, the centrist and independent group that sought to promote a third competitive candidate in the presidential elections, announced that it would end its bid. After failing to find a competitive formula at the national level, they indicated that they should reject the idea of presenting an alternative candidacy to that of the traditional parties.
The news is a relief to President Joe Biden, as there is now one less actor with the potential to divide his voters. According to the group's polls, its participation in the presidential elections benefited Donald Trump, at least in the key states.
No Labels, which had recently raised tens of millions of dollars, confirmed its participation in the elections in early March after a meeting of more than 800 delegates throughout the country. However, after almost a month of searching for names to fill that presidential ticket, it was decided not to continue with the efforts.
"Americans remain more open to an independent presidential run and hungrier for unifying national leadership than ever before. But No Labels has always said we would only offer our ballot line to a ticket if we could identify candidates with a credible path to winning the White House. No such candidates emerged, so the responsible course of action is for us to stand down," No Labels said in a statement.
The centrist organization could not convince a strong national-weight candidate to compete in the 50 states. Joe Manchin, Chris Christie, Rob Portman, Mitt Romney, Jon Huntsman, Eric Daniels, and Geoff Duncan dismissed the proposal for an independent candidacy.
"I still think it was a valiant effort but the grip of the two party system won't let go despite their failures," said Pat McCrory, former Republican governor of North Carolina and national co-president of the organization until a few weeks ago.
In turn, the group received the hard news of the death of Joe Lieberman, former senator and founding president of No Labels.
In an interview with Voz Media, he had assured that he intended to end the excess of "partisanship" in public life. "In other words, people seem, the people who are active in the Republican and Democratic party seem to be more loyal to their party than they are to the country or even to their own constituents and that's not the way it was meant to be," Lieberman explained.
