Chris Christie won’t mount No Labels run in 2024 US presidential election

Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor and two-time losing candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, said he would not mount a third-party White House run – closing another door on No Labels, the non-partisan group seeking to mount a campaign.

“I appreciate the encouragement I’ve gotten to pursue a third-party candidacy,” Christie said.

“I believe we need a country that once again feels like everyone has a stake in what we’re doing and leadership that strives to bring people together, instead of using anger to divide us.

“While I believe this is a conversation that needs to be had with the American people, I also believe that if there is not a pathway to win and if my candidacy in any way, shape or form would help Donald Trump become president again, then it is not the way forward.”

Founded in 2010, No Labels describes itself as “a national movement of commonsense Americans pushing our leaders together to solve our country’s biggest problems”.

Seeking ballot access, it has been rebuffed by possible candidates but nonetheless announced a “country over party committee” to select a “unity presidential ticket”. Organisers have also said they will not field a candidate if none suitable can be found.

The group suffered a further blow on Wednesday with the death of its chair, Joe Lieberman, the former Democratic and independent senator from Connecticut who was Gore’s running mate in 2000.

The Washington Post reported that Christie spent “the last several weeks” considering a No Labels bid, commissioning polling and working out notional budgets. Unnamed sources told the Post such work resulted in the conclusion that a successful third-party candidate would need to win 20 to 25 states – an unrealistic prospect.

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