No Labels Party reboots in Arizona for 2026 run
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A bipartisan group of current and former members of Congress gathers for a No Labels event in Washington, D.C. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call
The No Labels Party is reinvigorated in Arizona, aiming to reshape independent politics.
Why it matters: Independent candidates face steeper ballot hurdles than Democrats or Republicans. No Labels aims to smooth their path.
The big picture: After trying to block non-presidential candidates from using its banner in Arizona, No Labels is now recruiting for 2026.
- The state and national No Labels organizations named former Phoenix Mayor Paul Johnson as Arizona chair.
- Johnson helped lead the campaign last year for the unsuccessful Proposition 140, to create a nonpartisan "open primary."
Catch up quick: The No Labels organization planned to run a "unity ticket" for president last year that would create an alternative for voters dissatisfied with Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and collected enough signatures to get ballot access in 21 states, including Arizona.
- But No Labels sued to block other candidates from using its name for non-presidential races.
- This month, the Ninth Circuit ruled it can't stop members from running under its banner.
Context: In 2024, statewide Republican candidates needed 7,072 signatures to get on the ballot and Democrats required 6,556, based on the number of voters qualified to sign their petitions.
- Independent candidates faced a much steeper threshold at 42,303, and unlike Democrats and Republicans, they go straight to the general election and don't run in a primary.
- Had No Labels candidates been permitted to run for Arizona offices, statewide candidates would've needed 1,288 signatures.
- Arizona has nearly 40,000 registered No Labels voters and Johnson says the party will change bylaws to allow nonmembers to run.
Zoom in: The No Labels Party of Arizona will be a de facto independent party, Johnson told Axios.
- But it'll be more like an "un-party," he added, in which candidates are connected but won't be bound by ideological orthodoxy.
- No Labels has a set of ideals and is politically centrist, but candidates on the far left or right could run, too.
The intrigue: The party hopes to field candidates for various offices in 2026, and is likely to recruit.
- Johnson says about 20 people have expressed interest in running as No Labels candidates.
- Stephen Neal Jr., who's running for superintendent of public instruction, was the first No Labels candidate to file since the Ninth Circuit ruling.
- Before that, Richard Grayson, a former Green, Democratic and American Elect candidate, filed as a No Labels write-in for the 7th Congressional District special election, and will be on the general election ballot.
What he's saying: "Our real goal is to make certain that the process is open to people who want to be innovative in coming up with solutions to solve our big problems," Johnson said.
What's next: No Labels is getting a new label — Johnson said the party will rebrand with a new name decided by its members.