Biden world eyes Cornel West and No Labels as potential obstacles for his reelection campaign

Top Democrats, including those close to Joe Biden, are moving to dull the possibility that not one but two third-party challengers could siphon away critical votes in the upcoming election.

Inside the party, there is bubbling concern of a repeat from what happened seven years ago, when Green Party candidate Jill Stein drew more votes in three critical battleground states than the amount by which Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton in those places.

Operatives are determined to not let it happen again.

Cornel West, a prominent academic and civil rights leader with ties to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), has already launched a bid on the Green Party ticket. As Biden looks to fend off that threat on his left, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has flirted with a presidential run with the group No Labels that Democrats fear could deprive Biden of moderate votes.