Democrats Sound Alarm on No Labels Party

Illinois Democrats are calling for investigations into the No Labels party, citing concerns that it may be misleading voters as it tries to gain ballot access. Nationally, Democrats are sounding alarms about the nonpartisan group.In a letter from a Democratic political committee, MoveOn Political Action, the group’s director, Rahna Eptin, called on the Illinois secretary of state, Alexi Giannoulias, to investigate No Labels, citing an issue arising in Maine.Canvassers for No Labels in Maine reportedly failed to inform people that they were changing their party affiliation when they signed a petition to get No Labels on the ballot.“No Labels organizers purportedly misled voters into changing their party affiliation when voters thought they were signing a petition just to get No Labels on the state ballot for 2024,” Ms. Epting wrote. “Voters were not informed that they were changing their political party to No Labels and, therefore, would be barred from participating in Democratic or Republican primaries.”The Maine secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, sent No Labels a cease-and-desist letter because clerks in the states were receiving “reports from numerous Maine voters who did not realize they had been enrolled in the No Labels Party.”In Maine, if a voter registers with a political party, that person only has the option to vote in that party’s primary. Independents, though, can choose to vote in any party’s primary election.“Voters have the freedom to associate with the political party of their choice, or no party at all,” Ms. Bellows said in a statement. “We were concerned after hearing reports of dozens of voters alleging they were unaware they had been enrolled in the No Labels Party and are working to ensure every voter understands their rights.”No Labels said that canvassers were given “crystal-clear instructions” to inform voters that they were changing their party registrations.“We are offering Americans a choice they so obviously want in 2024 and we are following both the letter and spirit of all applicable election laws,” No Labels said in a statement to the Messenger.Ms. Epting’s letter is only the latest instance of Democrats complaining about No Labels. The fear is that a so-called unity ticket, as No Labels fashions itself, would deliver the presidency to Republicans by siphoning off votes that would otherwise go to President Biden.Although the group does not disclose its donors, some independent investigations from left-leaning outlets like More Perfect Union have found that No Labels is backed in large part by Republican supporters such as a billionaire hedge fund executive, Louis Bacon, who gave $1 million to both No Labels and the GOP, and has maxed out donations to the newly independent senator of Arizona, Kyrsten Sinema.Other donors include a major backer of President Trump, Nelson Peltz, who gave No Labels-affiliated PACs $900,000, and Harlan Crow, best known for his friendly relationship with Justice Clarence Thomas. The billionaire has given $100,000 to the group, according to reporting by the New Republic. No Labels has also been working with companies that normally support Republican causes, like Blitz Canvassing in Colorado and the fundraising firm Anedot.The party itself has flirted with the idea of recruiting a conservative Democratic senator, Joe Manchin, as a presidential candidate, though it’s not yet clear what Mr. Manchin is planning to do in 2024.It’s clear from early polling, though, that any No Labels candidate would likely pull more from President Biden’s base of support than from Mr. Trump’s. The group so far only has ballot access in four states: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, and Oregon.The party also does not have a platform or a candidate yet, both of which will likely be important in its bid to convince voters to vote for a third party. The group is slated to release its platform sometime in July.Although No Labels has not officially publicly commented on allegations that the group is working to get a Republican elected, and did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Sun, individuals working with the group have explained their rationale for pursuing a third-party bid. One former Republican strategist who helped to found the party, Mark McKinnon, told Politico: “The whole idea is to save the republic from Donald Trump.”“There is a plausible scenario where Trump and Biden are the nominees and for reasons of age, health, economy or other factors, Biden is diminished and Trump is beating him by double digits,” Mr. McKinnon said. “It is my firm belief that if they get to next May or June and Biden’s in good shape, they’ll pull it down.”

Democrats Sound Alarm on No Labels Party

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