No Labels approves plan for a third-party candidate to take on Biden and Trump in the 2024 presidential race: Bipartisan group races to find unity ticket to take on Biden and Trump in November

No Labels have voted to move forward with putting a third-party in the 2024 race in  could hurt President Joe Biden's re-election campaign, but have not yet found a name to put on the ticket.

Around 800 delegates from the bipartisan group unanimously approved the plan for a 2024 'unity ticket' to take on Biden and Donald Trump in November at a virtual gathering on Friday.

But they now face a time crunch to pick a nominee, with many state deadlines to get on the general election ballot rapidly approaching.

The group said it will now be 'accelerating' its search for a candidate as concerns grow that a third-party candidate could swipe votes from Biden. 

The decision comes after three big names already told the group no: Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, former Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin. 

Before Friday's virtual No Labels convention former Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (left) and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (right) bowed out on running on a 'unity' ticket

It's unclear who the group could attract with the same kind of cross-partisan star appeal. 

The idea was to run one Republican and one Democrat on a 'unity' ticket to appeal to the disgusted American middle as both parties have moved to the right and to the left. 

But one thing Haley, Hogan and Manchin have in common is that they don't want Trump, who is close to mathematically clinching the Republican nomination, elected in the fall. 

New York Magazine reported Monday that former Democratic President Bill Clinton urged both Hogan and Manchin to stand down - cornering them on separate occasions and warning them they could become the spoilers who delivered Trump a second term.

Hogan launched a bid for the U.S. Senate instead, vying to take over retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin's seat, while Manchin announced in mid-February he would not seek the White House in 2024. 

He previously announced his retirement from the U.S. Senate. 

Haley said prior to dropping out that she had no interest in running as a No Labels candidate because she didn't want a Democrat on her ticket.

Former Republican candidate Nikki Haley also said she wasn't interested in joining the effort, explaining she didn't want a Democratic running mate 

'If I were to do No Labels, that would require a Democrat. I can't do what I wanted to express with the Democrats,' she said during a recent gaggle with reporters. 'I've always believed if you do something, do it right or don't do it.' 

Puck reported that No Labels leadership has decided a Republican must be on the top of the ticket to prevent Trump from being reelected instead. 

The lack of an obvious candidate hasn't derailed the operation

On Tuesday, Axios reported that ahead of Friday's virtual convention a super PAC related to the effort was asking donors for dollars. 

No Labels itself is a 501(c)(4) and can't run a traditional presidential campaign.

The group does not disclose its donors.  The super PAC can act as the funding mechanism.

The PAC aims to bring in $300 million toward a general election effort.