More Than Half Of America Thinks The Nation Needs A Third Major Political Party
On Saturday, with the ink from President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” sign-off barely dry, Elon Musk announced the formation of the “America Party,” following through on the result of a poll he put to X users on Independence Day.
In September 2024, the last time Gallup asked the nation for their views on the idea of a third party in the US, some 58% of American adults said that a third party was needed. Though that’s down 5% from the record 63% share in 2023, it still reflects a huge shift in the way that the electorate views the political landscape since the first time Gallup asked the question in late 2003, when just 40% of respondents saw the need for a third party.
Independent candidates and third parties have historically struggled to make an impact at the ballot box. Last year, a whopping 98.1% of votes in the presidential election went to one of the major parties, and the last time an independent candidate made truly notable headway was in 1992, when Texas businessman Ross Perot captured 18.9% of the popular vote.
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