The more candidates in the race, the better for Donald J. Trump, supporters say. And in a tight presidential contest, a small share of voters could change the result.

This works because almost all the US uses first-past-the-post elections for the Presidential general election. So you get outcomes like this:

Scenario 1:

Biden: 10 votes

Trump: 9 votes

Kennedy/Stein/West: 0 votes

Biden wins the state

Scenario 2:

Biden: 9 votes

Trump: 9 votes

Kennedy/Stein/West: 1 vote

Tied vote, decided by game of chance/lawsuit

Scenario 3:

Biden: 8 votes

Trump: 9 votes

Kennedy/Stein/West: 2 votes

Trump wins the state

This is why you see huge financial support from Republican billionaires for third party candidates who have no chance of winning.

  • ThrowawayOnLemmy
    5•9 months ago

    Ah. Using Hillary Clinton’s strategy. That famously worked out real well for her.

    • GhostalmediaEnglish
      3•9 months ago

      To be fair, her husband arguably got into office because a third party candidate disproportionately ate more into his opponent’s votes.

    • @ZoopZeZoop
      1•9 months ago

      Not that I disagree with your point, but implementation is everything.

    • @[email protected]English
      0•9 months ago

      This is such a dumb take. The strategy has worked numerous times throughout history. “Well it didn’t work for Clinton. . .so obviously it’s dumb!” is such a narrow-view, mindlessly parroting a talking point.