Former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman told Scripps News’ "Morning Rush" that his moderate group No Labels could mount a unity ticket if next year’s presidential election appears to be a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Lieberman said the group will hold a nomination convention following Super Tuesday next year. The goal would be to draw moderate voters who are disenchanted with both the Republican and Democratic parties.
“We think the American people, as the polling numbers you cited, are so dissatisfied with the choice of Presidents Trump or Biden that they want a third alternative,” Lieberman, a former vice presidential candidate, said. “And if we feel that way next year, we're gonna give it to them.”
One difficulty of challenging the status quo is the amount of financial resources it takes to get a candidate to appear on all 51 ballots throughout the U.S.
But he said the desire is there for a third-party candidate.
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“There's a very strong feeling that there is a difference between President Trump and President Biden, and President Trump really is a threat to our democracy,” Lieberman said of the beliefs among members of No Labels. “There are a lot of questions and criticisms about President Biden, but it's a very different order. I think the American people would like to see some new faces, and if they happen to be a little younger, may I say, even though I am Joe Biden's age, that probably would make a lot of people in the country happy and give them a little more hope for a better future.”
Given that leaders of No Labels, like Lieberman, have tagged Trump a “threat to our democracy,” Lieberman disputes that a third-party candidacy would hand the election to Trump. The Lincoln Project, a group of former Republicans that has supported Biden, has claimed a No Labels candidate would benefit Trump.
“Objective math shows that a No Labels candidate would take 14% from Biden and 10% from Trump,” the Lincoln Project said in a statement. “In a hypothetical three-way match-up nationally, the No Labels’ candidate would garner 20%, with Biden garnering 28% and Trump taking 33%. They’re not problem solvers; they’re spoilers who plan to throw the election to Donald Trump."
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Lieberman said the Lincoln Project’s claims are not accurate.
“Frankly, the thought that we're doing this because we're trying to reelect Trump is the exact opposite of the motivation of everybody I have talked to in No Labels who supports exploring a third-party ticket,” Lieberman said. In other words, there's a dissatisfaction with Trump and Biden, but almost everybody in No Labels feels it would be bad for the country if President Trump was reelected, and I certainly feel that way.”
Although it’s unknown who No Labels would pick as a nominee, candidates Lieberman said he could support include Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican.
“They've all got real good bipartisan records,” he said.
