Throughout U.S. history, third-party candidates have rarely clinched the presidency, but it has happened. The most notable example is Abraham Lincoln, who won in 1860 as a Republican when the party was still new and considered a third party.
Other successful "third-party" candidates include:
1. George Washington (1789, 1792) - Ran as an independent
2. John Quincy Adams (1824) - Ran as a Democratic-Republican, but was considered a faction
3. Zachary Taylor (1848) - Whig Party
While these examples are from the more distant past, they prove that alternatives to the two-party system can succeed. The oft-repeated warning that voting third-party ensures victory for the "greater evil" is largely a scare tactic employed by Democrats and Republicans to maintain their duopoly on power.
In reality, voting your conscience and supporting candidates who truly align with your values can lead to meaningful change. The success of past third-party candidates demonstrates that with enough support, outsiders can indeed claim the highest office in the land.
Here are 3 I think are worth looking at. NO MORE LESSOR OF TWO EVILS, I CHOOSE NO EVIL. HOW ABOUT YOU?
Cornell West
Jeremy Bernheisel
Jill Stein