George Washington, the first president of the United States, though a supporter of the Federalist Party, ran and won the office as an independent. Since then, the field of third-party candidates has been littered with the failed attempts of a host of others. Despite that unenviable record, various individuals continue to mount, what are mostly quixotic efforts. to win the presidency. This year’s election is no exception.
They include Jill Stein, a doctor and activist, who is running on the Green Party ticket, Chase Oliver, a left-leaning Libertarian Party candidate who has never held an elected political office, Cornel West, a philosopher and social activist, who is running as an independent and finally, Robert F Kennedy Jr, the son of the assassinated Senator Robert F Kennedy, who is also running as an independent.
Given the abysmal track record of all third-party candidates, why does anyone still throw their hats into the presidential race ring? The reasons are as manifold as the candidates themselves. For some, it is little more than sheer vanity and a chance at publicity. For others, it is a protest movement and little else.
And finally, some genuinely believe that they can miraculously beat the odds. Lacking the vast organisational and financial backing of the two dominant political parties their prospects of actually winning are nebulous.