The group No Labels is reportedly interested in former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) running for president as an independent. The news came as former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan resigned from the group’s board in a potential move toward an independent bid of his own.
An NBC News report indicated that No Labels contacted Christie after the candidate dropped out of the presidential race last week. However, a Christie campaign official said that no one on the governor’s team had actually spoken to the group.
Christie’s chief of staff said that she had not brought up the topic of a third-party run with her boss.
Furthermore, Christie said in his campaign suspension address that he would “make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump to ever be president of the United States again. And that’s more important than my own personal ambition.”
He also said that he was “not going away.”
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan steps down from No Labels' board in a possible sign of a 2024 bid https://t.co/kJ8CcZ7u0Y
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 12, 2024
No Labels is reportedly considering 13 possible independent candidates to challenge President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
The organization, which pledges not to be under the control of the Democratic or Republican party establishments, is weighing whether or not to run an independent ticket. The group is expected to make a decision on a potential third-party bid in the next several months.
Political figures who may be considered by the group include Christie, as well as current New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D).
However, Sununu has previously stated that if Trump receives the Republican nomination, he would support the former president.
Besides Christie, the potential candidate who received the most attention is Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV). The former West Virginia governor announced that he would not seek another term in the Senate last year. Prior to his announcement, the senator said that if he entered into any 2024 race, whether for the Senate or the White House, he would win.
