The United States' political system is dominated by two major political parties, these being the Republican Party and the Democrat Party, and since 1860, the President of the United States has been a member of one of these parties. However, while the two-party system has been dominant in America for over 160 years, many Americans have become dissatisfied with both parties for failing to keep their promises and causing further social division in the United States.
Current President Joe Biden, a Democrat, is seeking reelection but currently faces opposition not just from the Republicans but in the Democrat Party as well, as both Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Marianne Williamson both look to win the 2024 Democratic nomination. President Biden has become increasingly unpopular since taking office in 2021, as America has faced record-high inflation, a crisis at the border, and has had a foreign policy that many Americans disapprove of.
On the other side of things, Donald Trump is likely to win the Republican nomination again despite a federal indictment, which will likely frustrate many voters further, with both Biden and Trump being unpopular with most Americans. With a rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden likely to happen, this could give third-party candidates an opportunity to spread their message to millions of Americans who want to see real change in the country.
The Democratic Party in particular is aware of this possibility, and there are reports that party members fear a major third-party candidate could cost them the election. Third-party candidates have become popular throughout American history, earning the votes of those protesting the two-party system, with some playing a bigger role in elections than others, but who are these candidates, and what did they stand for?
George Wallace (1968)
Party: American Independent
The 1964 U.S. Election saw the popular incumbent Democrat President Lyndon Johnson defeat Barry Goldwater in a landslide, as Johnson promised to push further Civil Rights legislation, increase funding for social security, and pull the troops out of Vietnam. However, Johnson faced a tough bid just to defend the Democratic nomination, as the nation approached a police state, and Johnson escalated the Vietnam War, resulting in Johnson announcing he would not seek reelection in 1968.
The country was divided on several issues, and the Democrat Party was no different, with Southern Democrats opposing civil rights while the Liberal Democrats supported civil rights. George Wallace, the Democratic Governor of Alabama, ran with the American Independent Party in protest of Liberal Democrats on a platform of segregation, opposition to right-to-work laws, and law-and-order during one of the most chaotic times in American history.
Republican Richard Nixon defeated Vice President Hubert Humphrey 301-191, with Wallace pulling in the remaining forty-six electoral votes in one of the closest elections in American history. Although Wallace lost, with his support limited almost exclusively to the deep South, he remains the last third-party candidate to carry a state in a presidential election.
John B. Anderson (1980)
Party: Independent
John B. Anderson was a former U.S. Representative from Illinois who ran for the Republican nomination in 1980, basing his campaign around fiscal responsibility. Anderson soon became known nationwide for his willingness to challenge more conservative Republicans on economics, but he failed to win the Republican nomination, falling far behind California Governor Ronald Reagan.
Although Anderson failed to win the Republican nomination, he did not give up and ran as an independent, arguing that Reagan was far too conservative and incumbent President Jimmy Carter far too liberal. Anderson was invited to the first Presidential debate with Reagan but was not invited to the second after Carter refused to attend the first with Anderson’s presence.
In the 1980 Presidential Election, Anderson won 6.6% of the popular vote and performed well in moderate-Republican states like Vermont. Although Anderson performed well for a third-party candidate, he failed to win any electoral votes as Ronald Reagan cruised past Jimmy Carter to become the 40th President of the United States.
Ross Perot (1992)
Party: Independent
The 1992 U.S. Election saw a surprise third-party run from billionaire Ross Perot, who challenged incumbent President George H.W. Bush and Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton. Perot was a fresh face in the running, as he was a political outsider with reputable business experience, serving as an alternative option with many Americans becoming untrusting of Bush for raising taxes when he said he wouldn’t, and of Clinton for his personal life.
Perot was competitive with Bush and Clinton leading up to the election and even took the lead in some polls but dropped out of the race in July before rejoining the race in time for the debates. However, despite Perot’s strong performance in the polls, he failed to win any electoral votes as Bill Clinton became the first Democrat elected to the White House since Jimmy Carter in 1976.
Many Americans believe that Perot’s 20% national performance cost Bush the election by pulling away traditional Republican voters away from the 41st President when he raised taxes. Perot ran for President again in 1996 with the Reform Party (which he founded) and still won a respectable 8%, but Bill Clinton was reelected handily against Bob Dole, the Republican Majority Leader in the Senate.
Ralph Nader (2000)
Party: Green
Ralph Nader ran for President on the Green Party ticket multiple times, but his bid for President in 2000 may be the most famous. Nader campaigned on several progressive causes like the environment and anti-war efforts, providing an alternative progressive option against Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush.
The 2000 U.S. Election was one of the closest in American history, highlighted by Florida, which George Bush won by a mere 537 votes and a controversial Supreme Court ruling. Gore supporters across the country felt cheated because of alleged voter machine errors and that Gore won the national popular vote.
Many Democrats still believe Nader’s presence on the ballot cost Gore the election despite Nader winning less than 3% of the national popular vote. However, several sources indicate that Bush had plenty of support from Democrats in the Sunshine State which helped Bush become the 43rd President of the United States.
Gary Johnson (2016)
Party: Libertarian
Gary Johnson ran on the Libertarian Party ticket in 2012 and 2016, but his 2016 run is the most notable as he won 3.3% of the popular vote. Johnson, the former Governor of New Mexico, ran on standard Libertarian values of freedom, economic and personal liberties while campaigning against the war efforts of previous presidential administrations.
In the months leading up to the election, Johnson performed well in the polls for a third-party candidate getting to as much as 10% percent nationwide, fueling the possibility of a third-party revolution in the United States. Much of Johnson’s support came from the fact that he was not Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, the nominees of the two major political parties who were historically unpopular with millions of Americans.
However, Johnson did not quite live up to the hype, as he had several gaffes on live television, and many Americans decided to vote for either Trump or Clinton at the last minute. Although he failed to win any electoral votes, Johnson won the highest percentage of voters since the Libertarian Party was founded in 1971.