The Patriot Post® · Is There Momentum for a Third-Party Run?

Political pundits on the Left, Right, and center have repeatedly noted that, given the second head-to-head matchup between old Donald Trump and older Joe Biden, the majority of Americans would prefer neither.

Thus, given this election backdrop, one wonders if we aren’t ripe for a third-party candidate to not only make waves but, in fact, have a legitimate chance at winning the presidency. If so, who are these third parties that, at the very least, are promising or threatening to impact the outcome of the 2024 election?

The first is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the scion of Democrat Party royalty. With an uncle having been president and his father having been headed to that role himself if not for an assassin’s bullet, Kennedy hails from a long line of influential politicians. But in RFK Jr.‘s case, he has long been viewed as the black sheep of the family, primarily due to his embrace and promotion of various conspiracy theories.

In a very real sense, like Trump, RFK Jr. has embraced the populist moment of the era. He has leaned into Americans’ disgruntlement over Washington’s elitism. As an individual cast out of the elite’s polite society, he connects with the frustration many regular Joes feel of being viewed with scorn by the cultural elites. And like Trump, RFK Jr. is unapologetically pro-America.

Indeed, if the Democrat Party hadn’t been so committed to promoting the ideology of the anti-American radical Left and the preservation of Washington’s bureaucratic state, then it would have abandoned the aging Biden for an energetic, charismatic, and winsome candidate in Kennedy.

Seeing the writing on the wall, Kennedy did what previous Kennedys would have never done: He left the Democrat Party. But to be fair, given the hard-left radicalism that has taken over today’s Democrat Party, it may be more accurate to say that the party has moved to the hard left of Kennedy.

But what realistic chance does Kennedy have? Well, much of that depends upon whether he is able to get on the ballot in all 50 states. Thus far, Kennedy has succeeded in only four: Utah, Nevada, Hawaii, and New Hampshire. He is well on his way in 15 more states, and he has specifically targeted the six hardest states for an independent candidate by going the route of creating a new political party. That party is dubbed the “We the People” party.

Should Kennedy succeed in all 50 states, he might prove to be a headache for both Biden and Trump, but most likely for Biden. Kennedy is certainly a wild card.

The other third-party possibility may be the No Labels Party. Begun as a center-left political movement back in 2010, No Labels has grown in popularity with mostly political moderates who have tired of the Democrats’ radical leftward shift.

The trouble for No Labels is that no one has stepped up to the plate to make a run at the presidency. Nikki Haley was the latest politician to turn down any third-party run. Others who have demurred include outgoing West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe Manchin and former Republican Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, also a Republican, has called running on the No Labels ticket a “fool’s errand,” but he recently indicated he may be warming to the idea. That said, it’s hard to see No Labels making any waves on Election Day with Christie heading the ticket.

The party is currently on the ballot in 16 states, so if it can find a compelling candidate, it might prove to be a spoiler. But for now, as political analyst Byron York put it, “No Labels decided to run a presidential campaign without a presidential candidate.” He adds, “The process has become something of a joke.”

From the perspective of both major parties, a challenge from either of these third parties would likely spell more trouble for Biden than Trump. Even more interesting would be the emergence of a lasting third-party threat to the century-and-a-half-old duopoly that the Democrat and Republican parties have on American political power.