Tom Zawistowski is president of the Ohio-based We the People Convention. Like many other political pundits, he views the presence of a serious third-party candidate in the 2024 presidential election as a factor that could help put a Republican back in the Oval Office. Indeed, some Democrats are concerned that West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin (pictured above) – who has held that seat since 2010 – may run as the candidate of a group called "No Labels," which calls itself a centrist organization.
Recently reporters caught up with Manchin and asked him about a third-party run:
"The bottom line is everyone's trying to find this sense of the reasonable middle and both the Democrat and Republican Party have gone to extremes. If we can have a movement that brings people back, showing there's a tremendous support for the centrist middle – where you make common sense decisions, where the country could be more comfortable than what they are now being forced to take the side to the extremes – that's all. It's just a movement."
Zawistowski contends Manchin is basically telling his fellow Democrats that they are not acting like Democrats.
"[He's saying] I'm a Democrat, but I'm a West Virginia Democrat – and you screwed me on this energy deal. I helped you, and then you stabbed me in the back. So, he's kind of motivated to do something – and that's exciting."
And according to the Ohio activist, Manchin may have another motivation: he is expected to face a serious challenge from Republican Governor Jim Justice if he decides to seek another term in the Senate next year.
"He is up against a very, very tough opponent," Zawistowski states, referring to Justice. "That may be very appealing to Joe Manchin, who I think wants to … attack the communist Left that has taken over the Democratic Party."
Fox News reports No Labels is in the process of forming a nominating committee that's likely to begin considering potential running mates for a 2024 ticket that would offer an alternative to voters different than the choices they had available in 2020.
