Although the U.S. political landscape is dominated by two major parties, “third candidates” or independent candidates have, at times, played significant roles in American politics.
Among the most notable of these “third candidates” was Eugene V. Debs, who began his career as a Democrat, later joined the trade union movement, and organized the historic Pullman Strike. This strike, which drew in hundreds of thousands across numerous states, incited such anxiety among the elite that then-President Grover Cleveland deployed the military to suppress it, leading to Debs’ imprisonment.
Debs ultimately ran as the Socialist Party of America’s presidential candidate in five elections, earning 6% of the vote in 1912. Notably, Debs received a 10-year prison sentence in 1918 due to his anti-war stance opposing U.S. involvement in World War I.
Presidential candidate for the third time
In the 2024 election, Green Party candidate Jill Stein continues the “third candidate” tradition by running for president a third time. First entering the race in 2012, Stein secured 0.4% of the vote, and in 2016, she improved to 1.6%. In current polling, Stein’s support ranges between 1.5% and 2%, with particular backing from Arab-Muslim voters due to her anti-war stance on Gaza.
According to recent updates, Stein, a physician from Massachusetts, will appear on ballots in Arizona, California, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Montana, Utah, Nevada, Alaska, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Maine, Maryland, and Missouri. The Green Party will be listed on the ballot in Mississippi, South Carolina, and Hawaii.
Ballot access in each state varies; Stein’s campaign manager Jason Call explained to Newsweek that in some states, petitioning was required to gain access, either as the Green Party candidate or as an independent.
The campaign anticipates ballot access in 40 states and Washington D.C. by the end of the process, although Stein will not be on the ballot in Nevada, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Indiana.
Stein and the Green Party platform
Stein describes the Green Party as advocating for peace, environmental action, and the New Green Deal. In a recent CBS Pittsburgh interview, Stein expressed concern about the detrimental effects of fracking on air quality, especially in cities like Pittsburgh. She criticizes both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump for what she calls their alignment with “the endless war machine” and their support of Bibi Netanyahu’s military actions in Gaza.
Stein asserts that her environmental and anti-war positions distinguish her from Trump and Harris, positioning her as a genuine alternative. She pledges to end all new fracking operations immediately and phase out fracking over the next decade.
Calling for an end to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza
On Ukraine and Palestine, Stein argues for an immediate end to both conflicts. She accuses the U.S. of provoking Russia by placing NATO nuclear weapons on its border. Stein proposes negotiation and diplomacy as alternatives, alleging that the U.S. missed opportunities for peaceful resolutions.
Stein has also stated that she is the only presidential candidate advocating for an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s conflict with Gaza. She pledges to pressure Bibi Netanyahu for a ceasefire, emphasizing that most Americans support an end to what she describes as the genocidal assault on Gaza. “If you don’t comply with international law, we will cut off all U.S. aid until you do,” she insists.
Democrats accuse Stein of ‘splitting the vote’
Some Democrats contend that Stein could act as a “spoiler” by drawing votes from Kamala Harris and aiding Donald Trump in critical states like Pennsylvania. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic Congresswoman from New York, criticized the Green Party’s electoral approach, stating on Instagram, “You show up every four years to stoke anger, but that’s not serious.”
Stein, however, disputes this view. “The anti-genocide vote isn’t going to Harris,” she argues.
European Greens against U.S. Greens
Notably, the European Green Parties have called on Stein to withdraw and support Kamala Harris, asserting that Harris is the only viable candidate to prevent Trump’s return to the White House. The U.S. Green Party has responded, accusing the European Greens of parroting Democratic Party rhetoric and stressing that many Americans seek an option outside of the two main parties.
“We invite the European Greens to engage with us directly, understand our positions, and support our call for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) to eliminate the so-called vote-splitting factor,” the Green Party stated.
