Former North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory is stepping down as national co-chair No label days after members of the independent group voted to advance on the presidential ticket.
“I’ve given my all as a volunteer co-chair for over a year, but now it’s time to move on,” the former Republican governor told NBC News. I wish the best to the No Labels movement, the wonderful teammates I work with, and those across the country who, more than ever before, at all levels of government, know that we must put country before party.”
No Labels did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday night.
The Wall Street Journal reported first McCrory’s departure.
McCrory was previously listed as national co-chairman on No Labels’ website Wednesday, but his name was removed later in the evening. Benjamin F. Chavis is still listed as the national co-chairman. Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., is the group’s founding chairman.
No Labels has yet to announce a presidential ticket, although national convention chairman Mike Rawlings said in a statement last week that the group wanted to “move immediately to identify candidates for the presidency of the Commonwealth.”
The the organization said last week will announce the candidate selection process on Thursday.
McCrory defended the organization’s mission Friday in an interview with NBC News.Meet the press NOW,” claiming, “two parties are failing us.”
People “want common-sense solutions to some very complex issues going on down the road,” he said.
No Labels noted that many voters are open to voting for an independent because of an unpopular rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. However, they have been criticized by liberal-leaning groups as a possible spoiler ticket that could hand the 2024 election to Trump.
The group rejected that argument, saying “the charge is being seized upon by people who want to scare the public, create doubt and limit Americans’ choices at the ballot box.” McCrory served as the governor of North Carolina from 2013 to 2017. He lost his bid for re-election to a Democratic challenger Roy Cooper. In 2022, McCrory lost the GOP Senate primary to Trump-backed candidate Ted Budd. general election.