in Washington, DC — On Thursday, a prominent member of No Labels stated that, should the group choose to field a third-party candidate for president, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley "would deserve serious consideration" for the nomination.
According to Joe Lieberman, a former senator from Connecticut and current co-chair of No Labels, Haley's track record as South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador makes her an ideal candidate for the group's plan to identify a candidate for the 2024 election, should it lead to a rematch between Democratic candidate Joe Biden and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
When I say 'No Labels,' I believe I speak for many of our members. Lieberman stated that Governor Haley should be seriously considered. However, she must make that choice on her own, and it is not a simple one. Thus, we must patiently await the outcome.
According to Haley's team, she declined the offer. "Nikki has no interest in No Labels; she's happy with the Republican label," stated Olivia Perez-Cubas, a spokesman for Haley's campaign. After finishing third in the Iowa caucuses, Haley is putting her hopes in next week's New Hampshire vote to give her a chance to overtake Trump, the clear Republican front-runner for the nomination.
"The kind of candidate No Labels is looking for" is what Lieberman described former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who just terminated his own GOP presidential campaign, as being, according to Lieberman's remarks last week, "the kind of candidate No Labels should consider running on."
At the same time, former Maryland governor Larry Hogan resigned from his position as co-chair of the No Labels group, leading many to wonder if he was getting ready to run for president on the No Labels ticket. In an effort to put a stop to such rumors, he eventually endorsed Haley for the Republican nomination.
Before the premature end of a news conference in Washington, when leaders of No Labels demanded that the Department of Justice investigate their detractors, Lieberman made remarks about Haley in answer to a question.
A number of Democratic-aligned organizations have harshly condemned No Labels and are trying to dissuade politicians and campaign staff from collaborating with them. They have also warned that a third-party candidate would not be able to win, but would assist Trump in his run for president again.