Americans split on supporting third-party presidential candidate

With the 2024 presidential election looming on the horizons, American voters are split on whether they would be open to a third-party candidate as an alternative to the current front runners.

In a new Quinnipiac University national poll, 47% of responds said they would consider supporting a third-party candidate for president ”“ while another 47% said they would not consider it. Independents were more open to a third-party choice (64% to 30%) compared to Democrats (61% to 35%) and Republicans (57% to 38%).

This comes as former President Donald Trump holds 54% support among Republicans, according to Quinnipiac, while President Joe Biden holds a 71% lead over rivals Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Marianne Williamson.

“With neither President Biden nor former President Trump knocking it out of the park on favorability, almost half of the country would consider another option,” said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy. “No specific name for the candidate, no specific designation for the party, but it is a vivid indication that for many voters, the status quo is a no-go.”

No third-party candidate has ever won a presidential election. The most successful third-party campaign was conducted by former President Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 (pictured here) when his Progressive Party received 88 electoral votes and 27% of the popular vote.