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.

  • whereisk@lemmy.world
    41·
    3 months ago

    It’s the classic establishment’s pincer maneuver.

    All progressive change needs to be attacked from both sides:

    All left wing candidates / laws / tax / regulations / proposals are both too left and not left enough.

    Only ideals that have no chance are “pure enough” for some on the left.

    This is an organised attack from the right / establishment for decades. Yeah, we are finally waking up and seeing through this shit.