West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin (D) has sparked speculation about a potential third-party presidential run, following his comments on the radio talk show hosted by John Catsimatidis on WABC 770 AM in New York.
There has been growing speculation that Manchin may consider a bid funded by the No Labels group, which has been advocating for a "unity ticket" in the 2024 election. This ticket would consist of one candidate from each party for the presidential and vice presidential slots. Manchin recently headlined a No Labels event alongside former Republican governor and presidential candidate Jon Huntsman (Utah), leading many to believe it was a preview of the group's potential presidential ticket.
Appearing on the show with No Labels founding chairman Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.), Manchin emphasized that the group was not "motivated" to form a presidential candidate. However, he expressed hope that their strength would send a message to the two major parties to come back towards the center and work together for the good of the country.
Manchin did not downplay the suggestion of a No Labels ticket, stating, "All theyre asking for is Do the citizens of the United States want some other options?" He further elaborated on his support for No Labels, highlighting the need to move away from the divisive nature of politics and work together, as intended by the founding fathers.
While there may appear to be an opportunity for a third-party bid to gain significant traction with the American electorate, the history of third-party candidates suggests otherwise. Even in 2016, when both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump had low favorability ratings, third-party candidates struggled to make a meaningful impact.
Libertarians Gary Johnson and Bill Weld received a meager 3.28% of the popular vote.
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