3rd Party Candidate

[TGHusker]

In 1980, the 3rd party candidate, Sen Anderson a Republican, had little affect on the Reagan steamroller.

In 1992 the 3rd party candidate, Ross Perot, basically assured the election of Bill Clinton - that and GHWB's inept campaign.

 

Is there a chance of a 3rd party candidate in 2016?

Here are the opportunities as I see it

1. The repubs nominate an establishment candidate like Jeb Bush. Tea Party revolts and push Cruz or Paul type or another to run as a 3rd party.

2. The dems nominate Hillary. The far left, convinced she is in the fold of the bankers and the military complex, push Warren or Sanders or another to run as 3rd party.

 

Other possible 3rd party candidates who might present themselves as an alternative to a Bush/Clinton race:

 

Former NYC Mayor Bloomberg - takes votes from Dems

Trump - takes votes from Repubs

A mixed 'moderate' ticket of a Dem (Webb type) and a repub (John Huntsman type) with the purpose of ending gridlock

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio - seems like he things pretty highly of himself according to this article:

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Bill-de-Blasio-special-Bloomberg-Giuliani/2015/05/06/id/643087/

 

Other possibilities??

 

I don't think any announced repub candidate will run 3rd party as I think they will be dead set on not allowing Hillary to be elected. If the Tea Party pushes a 3rd candidate, I think it will be one of the other firebrands in Congress.

Edited May 7, 2015 by TGHusker

[Scratchtown]

If it's Jeb Bush or Hilary, we are screwed.

[Hammerhead]

I just don't see a 3rd party candidate having a shot at getting elected in our system, and I think most prospective candidates know that. I don't think Ron Paul is what most people would call a Republican, but he felt compelled to run on the Republican ticket because he knew he wouldn't have a chance running on a 3rd party ticket, and since he's not your typical Republican and doesn't have the corporate endorsements that a guy like Mitt Romney has, he never had a prayer. As far as I'm concerned, all the major parties are offering up now are just two sides of the same coin. Nobody that's announced that they're running right now would have my support.

[TGHusker]

I just don't see a 3rd party candidate having a shot at getting elected in our system, and I think most prospective candidates know that. I don't think Ron Paul is what most people would call a Republican, but he felt compelled to run on the Republican ticket because he knew he wouldn't have a chance running on a 3rd party ticket, and since he's not your typical Republican and doesn't have the corporate endorsements that a guy like Mitt Romney has, he never had a prayer. As far as I'm concerned, all the major parties are offering up now are just two sides of the same coin. Nobody that's announced that they're running right now would have my support.

who would you support?

[Hammerhead]

 

I just don't see a 3rd party candidate having a shot at getting elected in our system, and I think most prospective candidates know that. I don't think Ron Paul is what most people would call a Republican, but he felt compelled to run on the Republican ticket because he knew he wouldn't have a chance running on a 3rd party ticket, and since he's not your typical Republican and doesn't have the corporate endorsements that a guy like Mitt Romney has, he never had a prayer. As far as I'm concerned, all the major parties are offering up now are just two sides of the same coin. Nobody that's announced that they're running right now would have my support.

who would you support?

 

 

Gary Johnson would be my #1 choice. Ron Paul would be a close second if he were to run again, though I don't believe he will. I don't see enough similarity between Ron and Rand's political beliefs to give an actual endorsement of Rand.

[BigRedBuster]

The only way a third party candidate has a shot is if there are actually two strong "3rd" party candidates. Each would take votes from the established Dems and Repubs. That would be 4 candidates dividing up the votes. In that scenario, one of the 3rd partiers could sneak in with something like 30-40% of the vote.

 

Imagine the crying and waling from both fat pig parties if that were to happen.

 

It would actually be funny as hell if the two outsiders would be the two front runners down the stretch.

[Hammerhead]

The only way a third party candidate has a shot is if there are actually two strong "3rd" party candidates. Each would take votes from the established Dems and Repubs. That would be 4 candidates dividing up the votes. In that scenario, one of the 3rd partiers could sneak in with something like 30-40% of the vote.

 

Imagine the crying and waling from both fat pig parties if that were to happen.

 

It would actually be funny as hell if the two outsiders would be the two front runners down the stretch.

 

I honestly believe that could be the best possible scenario for our political system.

[BigRedBuster]

 

The only way a third party candidate has a shot is if there are actually two strong "3rd" party candidates. Each would take votes from the established Dems and Repubs. That would be 4 candidates dividing up the votes. In that scenario, one of the 3rd partiers could sneak in with something like 30-40% of the vote.

 

Imagine the crying and waling from both fat pig parties if that were to happen.

 

It would actually be funny as hell if the two outsiders would be the two front runners down the stretch.

 

I honestly believe that could be the best possible scenario for our political system.

 

Only if the two outsiders who are the front runners are reasonable candidates and not on the extreme side of the spectrum.

[Hammerhead]

 

 

The only way a third party candidate has a shot is if there are actually two strong "3rd" party candidates. Each would take votes from the established Dems and Repubs. That would be 4 candidates dividing up the votes. In that scenario, one of the 3rd partiers could sneak in with something like 30-40% of the vote.

 

Imagine the crying and waling from both fat pig parties if that were to happen.

 

It would actually be funny as hell if the two outsiders would be the two front runners down the stretch.

 

I honestly believe that could be the best possible scenario for our political system.

 

Only if the two outsiders who are the front runners are reasonable candidates and not on the extreme side of the spectrum.

 

 

True, but I don't see an extremist to either degree getting that much of the vote.

[Street Novelist]

That's the reason why our current political system is so screwed. You need to have the money to run. How do you do that? You get endorsements from the big spenders. This is why an Independent will never win. It's big business. People can fool themselves all they want. It always comes down to money.

[Scratchtown]

Obama is getting a 3rd term so it doesn't matter.

[TGHusker]

 

The only way a third party candidate has a shot is if there are actually two strong "3rd" party candidates. Each would take votes from the established Dems and Repubs. That would be 4 candidates dividing up the votes. In that scenario, one of the 3rd partiers could sneak in with something like 30-40% of the vote.

 

Imagine the crying and waling from both fat pig parties if that were to happen.

 

It would actually be funny as hell if the two outsiders would be the two front runners down the stretch.

 

I honestly believe that could be the best possible scenario for our political system.

 

I would agree but I think it only happens if those 2 merge into 1 - two people - one from the dem side and one from the repub side who both have the vision to break down the partisan walls, who want to rise above the big money in order to get things down. Fat chance of this happening but could you imagine the pull of a Rand Paul/Elizabeth Warren ticket (or visa versa), or a Rubio/Warren or this real zinger: Cruz/Warren. I don't think we have those kinds of statesmen around right now - but I think it will take that type to fix Washington - a real disinterest in the party and for the sake of the nation.