Independent presidential candidates won’t have to announce until March. Here’s why.

[RAY BOGAN]

There’s a lot of speculation about third party and independent candidates running in the 2024 Presidential election. People want to know who may run, and when they’ll announce. 

Independent candidates have some time to launch a campaign. The earliest state filing deadline is in March, but in most states the deadline is June, July or August because they’re not tied to the Republican and Democratic primary and caucus schedule.

There’s already one independent candidate, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He was running as a Democrat but decided to go on his own when it was clear he couldn’t win the nomination over President Biden. 

Retiring United States Sen. Joe Manchin is fueling speculation that he may make a bid for the White House. He’s going to appear at an event that is considered a must for Presidential candidates. Manchin will be the guest at “Politics and Eggs” in New Hampshire on January 12. 

Manchin said he would absolutely consider running but first wants to see if there’s an appetite for a moderate like him. 

Here’s how he responded when asked if he’d run as a Democrat:  

[SEN. JOE MANCHIN]

“I’m not even in that frame of mind to where you have to pick where you’re going to run from and this and that. I’m saying, I want to make sure there’s a movement,” Manchin told NBC’s Meet the Press. “Maybe I’m by myself, maybe I’m in the minority. Maybe the people don’t think it’s not that bad. Everyone I hear from thinks it’s that bad.” 

[RAY BOGAN]

The polling reveals Americans do think it’s that bad. A recent AP/NORC poll found that most Americans would not be happy with a Trump-Biden rematch. 56% of US adults said they would be dissatisfied if Biden were the Democratic nominee, 58% said the same for Trump.

In addition to Manchin, former Republican Representative Liz Cheney, who voted to impeach Trump and joined the January 6 investigative committee after the 2020 election, said she will do whatever she can to stop Trump from winning again. That includes the possibility of launching a third party bid. Although she said she wouldn’t do it if she thought it would help Trump. 

Here’s what Cheney said about Trump winning the Republican nomination: 

[LIZ CHENEY]

“If he does then all of us across party lines have to come together to defeat him next November. And there are a whole range of things we need to do to think anew about nonpartisanship, about voting for the constitution, not for whatever political party people may be part of. I think it matters that much,” Cheney told CBS Mornings. 

[RAY BOGAN]

While those two individuals may run, the No Labels organization is considering nominating a candidate. No Labels hasn’t committed to entering a candidate into the race yet, but if they do, they’ll hold a virtual nominating convention. The group said America is hungry for another option and that they could offer what they call a unity ticket with one Democrat and one Republican. 

They also said they have the data that proves a unity ticket could beat Trump and Biden with 34% support and get enough electoral votes to win. No Labels said it will be on the ballot in 27 states by the end of the year.