Bill Clinton Helped Shut Down Third Party Bids as Part of More Active Role in 2024

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Bill Clinton helped convince two candidates to drop their fantasies of third-party presidential runs, which is part of the former president and his wife, Hillary Clinton, taking a more active and expansive role in the 2024 political field, according to a new report.

New York Magazine’s Gabriel Debenedetti reported on Monday that the Clintons have been keeping a close eye on the 2024 presidential election, and this included Bill Clinton convincing both former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) that third-party runs would only benefit Donald Trump and hurt President Joe Biden.

From NY Mag:

Late last June, when Bill Clinton welcomed Larry Hogan to Little Rock, the ex-president realized he had an opportunity to step carefully back into the political fray. The pair was scheduled for a ticketed chat about bipartisanship on Clinton’s home turf just as Hogan, the former Maryland governor, was rumored to be thinking about a third-party presidential run via the No Labels group, which he was also co-chairing. Before they walked onstage, Clinton delicately made his view clear to the Republican, even though Hogan hadn’t asked: Any independent campaign of the kind No Labels was talking about could only benefit Donald Trump.

According to the report, Clinton was more forceful in his approach with Manchin, who, up until recently, was consistently teasing a potential run, likely on the No Labels ticket. Clinton told Manchin flat-out that a presidential bid by him would land Trump back in the White House.

Hillary Clinton has also been taking a more active role in helping Democrats, which includes regular talks with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Associates of the Clintons claimed the pair are looking at precinct-level data and getting heavily involved.

“They’re junkies!” one associate of Hillary Clinton and Biden said. “They’re looking at polls; they’re all in.”