Sen. Mark Kelly voices concern over No Labels potential impact on Biden’s reelection in Arizona, citing the influence of wealthy individuals.
Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Kelly, D-Ariz., discussed a town hall in New Hampshire scheduled for Monday featuring Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Trump Considers Primary Rivals For Running Mate
The event is sponsored by No Labels, a group that bills itself as a centrist alternative to both major parties and has qualified as a political party for the Arizona ballot next year.
Democrats have complained that No Labels is little more than a spoiler group intended to thwart Biden’s reelection funded by people who sometimes have ties to Republican politics.
“I don’t think No Labels is a political party. I mean, this is a few individuals putting dark money behind an organization, and that’s not what our democracy should be about,” Kelly said.
“It should not be about a few rich people. So I’m obviously concerned about what’s going on here in Arizona and across the country.”
Manchin’s Senate term expires next year, and he faces a difficult reelection in a state that tilts Republican. For months, he has refused to rule out a presidential run.
US Sens. Mark Kelly (right, D-Ariz.) and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va, answer media questions in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 12, 2023.
His appearance in New Hampshire with former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, a Republican, will only fuel speculation that Manchin could be part of No Labels’ “unity ticket” running for the White House next year.
Kelly acknowledged he had discussed Manchin’s potential political moves with him but declined to recount the conversation publicly.
“I talk to Sen. Manchin frequently about a lot of things, this included,” Kelly said. “I’m not going to go into details of conversations I have with my fellow senators. It’s sort of a policy of mine.”
Kelly said he thinks Biden has a “very strong record” and time to make his case publicly.
Last week the Arizona Democratic Party filed a complaint with Secretary of State Adrian Fontes over No Labels. The Democrats want Fontes, a Democrat, to suspend No Labels’ eligibility until it divulges its donors, as the state requires parties to do.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Kari Lake’s Team Fined Over $122K In Maricopa Lawsuit
Labels have yet to qualify for the ballot in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, and Oregon.
Its presence in Arizona could be the most consequential because the state was the closest contest in the 2020 presidential election, with Biden defeating former President Donald Trump by about 11,000 votes.
