Not All 3rd-Party Votes Help Trump
Two times when a vote against Biden is a vote for him
Get strategic with independent and Republican voters.
I’m a bit of a heretic among Democrats because I believe we should actively promote third-party voting in certain cases.
Yes, third-party votes have cost Democrats presidential elections. Without Ralph Nader and Jill Stein, we would have had Presidents Al Gore in 2000 and Hillary Clinton in 2016.
But third-party voting isn’t inherently good or bad. Rather, it plays out differently depending on the electoral conditions. Remember, for example, Ross Perot’s candidacy probably helped Bill Clinton. So, in the here and now, how can third parties help Biden win and Trump lose? And what should Democrats be doing about it?
There are two situations when a vote against Biden is a vote for him:
- Independent voters who refuse to support Biden
- Republicans who can’t bring themselves to vote for a Democrat
Here’s how it breaks down:
1. Liberal third-party voter
This is what most of us picture when we think of third-party voters. Folks who supported Bernie Sanders…
