(Phoenix) With the prospect of a rematch between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump in the 2024 US presidential election, a particularly high number of third-party candidates, whether from other parties or downright left field, wish to obtain the favor of voters.
These optimistic candidates come from different backgrounds: some are members of Congress, others have impressive academic backgrounds, and there is even a scion of one of the most important political families in the country.
But even if another Trump-Biden duel is far from satisfying all American voters, the chances of the other candidates are extremely low.
George Washington, the very first American president, was the only one to find himself in command of the country without party affiliation. An outgoing president has not lost his party’s nomination since 1856. And no new party has been brought to the White House since Abraham Lincoln was elected under the Republican banner in 1860.
Despite these findings, some candidates believe that popular discontent over another Biden-Trump duel is strong enough for them to have a chance of writing a new page of history.
“It’s a very favorable picture for independent candidates,” assured Jill Stein, who ran for president in 2012 and 2016 under the Green Party banner.
“There really is an appetite for politics based on principles and integrity. People are hungry for options outside of the two zombie candidates being shoved down our throats and the two zombie parties. »
Applications are pouring in
Little-known candidates who have no real chance of taking power run in every election, but the number of people who have indicated their interest this fall is higher than usual.
Mme Stein, who is also a doctor and environmental activist, announced that she will launch her third presidential campaign in 2024, reversing her decision to support another candidate.
Among Democrats, a little-known member of Congress is challenging President Biden in the party’s primary. Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota believes that Democrats are heading straight into a wall by trying to re-elect an unpopular president, whose age raises many questions.
“I just say out loud what everyone is thinking,” he explained.
For his part, Robert F. Kennedy, the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, withdrew from the Democratic primary in October and is now running as an independent candidate.
PHOTO MEG KINNARD, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
An environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine activist, he enjoys higher approval ratings among Republicans than Democrats, despite his deep family ties to the Democratic Party.
Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, announced that he will not seek another term next year, but that he could be tempted to run for president as an independent.
Unpopular star candidates
According to an August poll by NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and commissioned by The Associated Press, 75% of Americans believe Mr. Biden should not run for president again, while 69% believe Mr. Trump shouldn’t do it either.
Americans believe that Mr. Biden, aged 81, is too old. They are also divided over the criminal charges against Mr. Trump, 77, who has been indicted four times and will stand trial next year.
Nearly 80% of respondents argued that Mr. Biden is too old to be effective for four more years in office, already the oldest serving US president in history.
About half of Americans approved of the Justice Department’s decision to formally charge Mr. Trump over the schemes he implemented to try to stay in power despite his defeat in the 2020 election.
Aware of their candidates’ mediocre approval ratings, both Democrats and Republicans are closely monitoring the campaigns of independents who, without taking power, could play a role in the outcome of the election if they split the vote in a race tight.