The group No Labels is closely watching the political field as parties decide who will stand on the debate stages and campaign to win the White House in 2024.
The 501 (c)(4) non-profit group says they're in it to open up the ballot to more choices, and urge voters to believe their actions won't make it easier for former President Donald Trump to gain footing in the 2024 race.
Former Democratic Rep. Joe Cunningham is now a national director for the group, and says their role will be to determine if the two parties pick a nominee that is very unfavorable for voters. That is when they could step in to help a third option gain voter's attention.
The question the group says they would ask is, "Are the two major nominees so unfavorable, that a third ticket is warranted?" said Cunningham.
Lieberman: 'No Labels' candidate wouldn't hand 2024 election to Trump
No Labels Co-Chair Joe Lieberman said his group could launch a third-party bid in hopes of wrestling presidential power from the two major parties.
Would a No Labels candidate hand the presidency to Donald Trump?
In May, Former U.S. Sen. Joe Liebermantold Scripps News that No Labels is a moderate group that wants to be available to create the option for a unity ticket if the next election starts to look like a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
"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 said.
He said, "If we feel that way next year, we're gonna give it to them."
But there appears to still be the lingering accusation that the group's potential third choice could give Trump an advantage.
"You have to have data to underpin this, and those are very heavy allegations, and we're not going to do anything that's simply going to hand the election over to Donald Trump," Cunningham said.
"What do you say to the two-thirds of Americans who feel like, who say that they do not want this rematch. They want other options," he said.
Who is funding No Labels?
It takes a large amount of financial resources to have a candidate appear on all 51 ballots across the country.
Lieberman said, "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."
Still, with the lack of transparency around who is funding No Labels, questions remain on if the organization can not only raise enough money to fulfill their mission, but also be trusted by voters.
Cunningham referred to No Labels' status as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization.
"Well look, we're a C4, we're a non-profit and we run the way a lot of C4s do," Cunningham said.
"We're not running a presidential campaign, we're not," he claims. "We're just gaining access to the ballot."
The criticism from not disclosing who is funding the organization has lead to speculation that even Donald Trump Jr. or members of other political families like the Bidens could be bringing in donations, and the public wouldn't know.
"It's just ridiculous," Cunningham said.
"We're a C4 and we operate like one," he said.
