As Donald Trump’s MAGA movement steamrolls over what’s left of the GOP, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) is saying what many traditional Republicans must be thinking: Conservatives might need to start a new political party.
She could be right, but it’s just as well that it won’t happen this year.
Our political system is already swimming in third parties. There are dozens; there’s even a “Pirate Party,” although it’s not exactly what it sounds like.
Presidential ballots in this election are crowded with third-party presidential candidates including the Green Party’s Jill Stein, the Libertarians’ Chase Oliver, Cornel West with his Justice for All party, and more. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his independent campaign, but he is still on the ballot in some states.
None of these candidates has the remotest chance of winning. But with polls showing Kamala Harris and Donald Trump locked in a near-tie, alternative candidates have a good chance of affecting the outcome — and not necessarily in the way their voters might want.
That’s because in this election, maybe more than ever, too many leading “alternative” campaigns are not what they look like at first blush.
I’d go as far as to say that if you scratch the surface of a “progressive” or “centrist” third-party campaign, you’ll find hard-core Republicans writing checks and lining up support.
The AP published a lengthy exposé focusing on Republican efforts to make sure West and Stein are on ballots in multiple states.
NBC News reports that “paid operatives” working for a Republican-aligned firm were gathering petition signatures for West in Arizona and North Carolina. Tellingly, West doesn’t seem to care that much; he says getting on the ballot is all that matters.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported Republican efforts on behalf of both Stein and Kennedy. Kennedy, who started out as a Democratic primary candidate before switching to independent, was backed early on by a Super PAC with ties to Trump supporters.
And the No Labels campaign, which thankfully dropped its third-party ticket, also had ties to Republicans with deep pockets.
Has the Democratic party sometimes boosted third parties, too? Unfortunately, yes.
But the AP reports that the Republican effort is far more extensive: “After years of Trump accusing Democrats of ‘rigging’ elections, it is his allies who are now mounting a sprawling and at times deceptive campaign to tilt the vote in his favor.”
This is obviously a problem for potential third-party voters, many of whom are primarily motivated by a desire to vote their conscience. Now they have to worry not only if their vote will be wasted, but if they’re being tricked into rewarding an opposing candidate.
So what should voters do? I believe that in this and most elections, the wisest move is to vote for the campaign that gets you closest to your goals.
Here’s the thing: A big, multi-issue campaign — the kind that wins elections — is more like a bus than an Uber. It’s probably not going to pick you up exactly where you are and drop you off exactly where you want to go.
You might not think that’s ideal. But you shouldn’t take a bus in the wrong direction out of spite — or sit on the curb and go nowhere.
Especially this year, I believe too much is on the line to risk voting for a third party spoiler. I also believe Project 2025 and Donald Trump are so dangerous for our nation that they must be stopped.
What happens to Republicans after that is a topic of hot debate, which brings us back to Liz Cheney’s remark about a third party. There’s a growing gap between what conservatives always said they believed and who Republicans are electing. Conservatives saying they believe in traditional ideas of morality and electing Mark Robinson in North Carolina, for example, or saying they believe in fiscal responsibility and electing Trump.
It feels unsustainable, and it will be very interesting to see if a real, viable third party does emerge.
Meanwhile, Cheney knows this is no time to mess around. She (and many other longtime Republicans) will be voting for Kamala Harris. So will I.
