Do third-party candidates impact elections?

Summary

The video discusses the role of third-party candidates in U.S. elections, highlighting their impact on close races and the two-party system. It mentions Ross Perot, Ralph Nader, and Gary Johnson as notable third-party candidates who influenced past presidential elections. Despite not winning, these candidates have been blamed for altering election outcomes. The video also covers challenges faced by third-party candidates, such as limited funding, name recognition, and exclusion from presidential debates. Ultimately, it reflects on how the U.S. political system discourages third-party involvement.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ If you can't vote based on your values, democracy loses its moral compass.
• ⚖️ Third-party candidates often become scapegoats in close elections, sparking controversy about their impact.
• 🌍 Fringe candidates claim to offer an alternative to the dominant two-party system.
• 💬 Critics argue that third parties distort elections and harm viable candidates from major parties.
• 🤔 Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz considered running for President as a Centrist Independent, provoking mixed reactions.
• 😟 Concerns arose that Schultz's candidacy could help Donald Trump get re-elected by splitting the opposition vote.
• 📊 No modern third-party candidate has come close to winning the presidency, but they still influence elections.
• 📉 Ross Perot won nearly 20% of the popular vote in 1992, leading some Republicans to blame him for George H. W. Bush's loss to Bill Clinton.
• 🌿 Ralph Nader's Green Party candidacy in 2000 drew significant votes in Florida, which ultimately decided the election in favor of George W. Bush.
• ⚖️ The US electoral system, with its winner-take-all structure, heavily favors the two-party system, making it hard for third-party candidates to succeed.

Q & A

What is the concern if voters cannot put their values into their vote?

If voters cannot align their votes with their values, it undermines democracy, leaving society without a moral compass, as suggested by the script.

Why are third-party candidates considered controversial in close elections?

Third-party candidates are controversial because critics argue they skew election outcomes by drawing votes away from viable candidates, often affecting the final results in close elections.

What did Howard Schultz propose regarding the 2020 presidential election?

Howard Schultz, former Starbucks CEO, suggested he might run for President as a Centrist Independent, positioning himself outside the traditional two-party system.

What is the concern about Howard Schultz’s potential presidential run?

There was concern that if Schultz ran, it could split the vote in a way that would help Donald Trump secure re-election.

What impact did Ross Perot have on the 1992 presidential election?

Ross Perot, running as an Independent, won nearly a fifth of the popular vote. His candidacy is often blamed for George H. W. Bush's loss to Bill Clinton, although some argue Perot took votes from both parties.

How did Ralph Nader's 2000 Green Party run affect the election outcome?

Ralph Nader won less than 3% of the popular vote, but his over 97,000 votes in Florida may have played a crucial role in George W. Bush's narrow victory over Al Gore, with critics arguing that Nader's run cost Gore the presidency.

What is Ralph Nader's response to accusations that he influenced the 2000 election outcome?

Nader defends his candidacy, stating that everyone has an equal right to run for election and that blaming third-party candidates is a form of 'political bigotry.'

What role did Gary Johnson's 2016 Libertarian candidacy play in the election?

Gary Johnson received 3% of the popular vote, and in some states, his vote totals were larger than Hillary Clinton's margin of loss to Donald Trump. He likely drew voters from both sides of the political spectrum.

What is the structural challenge for third-party candidates in U.S. elections?

The U.S. has a winner-take-all system, where each district elects only one representative, which favors two dominant parties and makes it difficult for third-party candidates to succeed.

What are some of the key hurdles third-party candidates face in presidential campaigns?

Third-party candidates often lack the name recognition and financial resources of major party candidates, and they must also achieve at least 15% in national polls to participate in presidential debates, a threshold few meet.