The Arizona Democratic Party said Thursday it is suing to keep the business-friendly centrist group “No Labels” from being recognized as a political party with the ability to place candidates on the state’s ballot.
The lawsuit is an effort to keep a third-party candidate from playing a spoiler role in 2024, when Arizona – where President Joe Biden edged former President Donald Trump out by just 10,000 votes in 2020 – is poised to be a critical presidential swing state.
Democrats have also fretted that independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party last year, could also seek reelection on the “No Labels” party line, reducing the number of signatures she would need to qualify for the ballot.
The Arizona Democratic Party said it filed a complaint in Maricopa County court against Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat who earlier this month recognized the No Labels Party – granting it the ability to place candidates on primary and general election ballots – after saying the group had met the minimum signature requirement. Fontes’ office on Thursday did not respond to a request for comment.
No Labels is registered as a non-profit and does not disclose its donors – which the state party argued means it does not meet the requirements for a political party, including disclosing donors, registering with the Federal Election Commission and following contribution limits.
“No Labels is not following the rules for political party recognition, while attempting to be placed on the ballot alongside actual, functioning political parties who do,” Arizona Democratic Party executive director Morgan Dick said in a statement.
No Labels chief strategist Ryan Clancy shot back that the state party’s actions are hypocritical.
“This undemocratic and unscrupulous lawsuit is a disgrace,” he said in a…
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