News analysis

Third party bid for US presidential election in itself futile, but could take away votes from Biden

Pundits say a third party would pull more votes away from US President Biden than from former president Donald Trump. PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - Can a third party or independent candidate win an American presidential election? This enticing question persists in political circles, even though the evidence and precedents show the answer remains no.

However, a third party can significantly influence the outcome of polls in December 2024. And pundits say the latest iteration of the experiment, the No Labels political group, can only benefit former president Donald Trump by taking away votes from President Joe Biden in his re-election bid.

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