Third party effort challenging Trump delayed, former Republican Congressman says

The movement to keep former President Donald Trump from the White House has been delayed after the party overseeing the effort had to push back its petition.

The No Labels party, a newly-formed political group that includes former Republican Congressman Fred Upton of Michigan, has no taste for Trump and wants to stamp out any chance he could return to the executive office. 

To do that, the group needs to get on the ballot in all 50 states. The effort was supposed to launch this month - now it's on hold.

"Here in Michigan, there is a requirement that the money to pursue the signatures all has to come from within the state and we're not prepared to do that," Upton said.

Instead, the drive will start when a third party presidential candidate is selected at the national convention. 

That's a problem for another political group also opposed to Trump: The Democratic National Committee. A third party challenge, they argue, would siphon votes away from their candidate and actually push Trump into the executive seat they say.

MORE: Every Republican representative in Congress from Michigan endorses Trump in 2024 race

With Joe Biden the likely nominee for the Democratic Party, officials hope to lower as many hurdles as possible for their candidate.

And if that's the case, Upton did say the effort would cease - though the moderate Republican argues that's not what would happen with a third party candidate. "If we're going to be a spoiler then elect him, I think we throw in the cards."

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