Manchin leads No Labels town hall in NH, ponders third-party run.

Sen. Joe Manchin to Speak at No Labels Town Hall Event

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is set to appear as one of the keynote speakers for the first town hall event hosted by No Labels, a centrist political group that has teased an alternative option for voters in the 2024 election.

Manchin will appear alongside former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire on Monday evening, just one day after the group is set to release its “Common Sense” policy agenda for the 2024 cycle. Manchin’s appearance comes as the West Virginia senator has kept his options open for next year, repeatedly telling reporters he has not decided whether he’ll run for reelection or seek higher office.

Uniting Americans through Engaged Debates

“It is clear that most Americans are exceedingly frustrated by the growing divide in our political parties and toxic political rhetoric from our elected leaders,” Manchin said in a statement. “Our political discourse is lacking engaged debates around common sense solutions to solve the pressing issues facing our nation. I am looking forward to modeling this type of conversation with my good friend, Gov. Huntsman, and the No Labels community. The things that unite Americans are much stronger than the things that divide us and I am confident that will be evident throughout our discussion.”

No Labels has garnered national attention in recent months as it actively courts centrists in both parties who could make up a 2024 presidential “unity ticket” as an alternative to “divisive” candidates. The group has described these efforts as an “insurance policy” in the 2024 presidential election, vowing to drop its bid if either party manages to provide a candidate whom centrist voters can accept.

Specifically, the group said it would aim to provide an option for voters who don’t want to see President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump win the White House — meaning a possible rematch between the two could pave the way for a third-party ticket.

This strategy has prompted pushback from several Democratic groups, which argue a third-party ticket would provide a crucial boost to the GOP and open the door for Trump or a MAGA-aligned candidate to be elected. Others have pointed to evidence showing third-party candidates typically do poorly in general elections, arguing that No Labels would not have a large enough base of support to win.

However, No Labels has cited its own internal polling that shows overwhelming support for a third-party ticket that could realistically win the White House. But the group vowed to drop its bid if Trump is not the GOP nominee.

“So, we’re not making a subjective judgment on Ron DeSantis is or is not better, worse, conservative, less conservative than Trump or any other. What we’re doing is sticking to the plan we’ve had from the very beginning, which is: This is only worth doing if you think you can win,” No Labels CEO Ryan Clancy told the Washington Examiner last month. “And today, the data is telling us it looks like it’d be a really steep road for an independent to win if it’s a Republican other than Trump.”

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