03/22/2024

The Promise and the Perils of the Third-party Candidate

Back-of-the-pack candidates could cement election of the least wanted

They're not going to win. They're most likely not going to be on the ballot in most states. Their names may be unknown – or known only by family legacy – to the vast majority of American voters.

But third-party candidates could still have a pivotal role in deciding who the next president of the United States will be. And despite the contenders' claims that the nation deserves an alternative to two unpopular major party choices, the reality, experts say, is that these back-of-the-pack candidates may well cement the election of the candidate they least want in the White House.

"We have every reason to believe this election is going to be very, very close," and third-party candidacies "really could end up being decisive," said Bernard Tamas, a professor at Valdosta State University and author of the 2018 book "The Demise and Rebirth of American Third Parties."

Please select this link to read the complete article from U.S News & World Report.