CHICAGO — Despite the presence of third-party candidates in the presidential campaign, Democrats remain largely unfazed, confident that their nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, will emerge victorious.
At the Democratic National Convention, party leaders and delegates expressed little concern about the impact of third-party candidates, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dr. Jill Stein, and Cornel West, on the election. Instead, they focused on mobilizing voters and promoting their party’s message.
“We’re not worried about them,” said Daniele Monroe-Moreno, chairwoman of the Nevada Democratic Party. “Our job is to get out the vote and tell our story about the work we’ve been doing at the national and state levels.”
Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI) echoed this sentiment, stating, “I don’t think they’re a significant threat. We’ll get enough votes with or without them.”
Although Kennedy and Stein have secured spots on the Nevada ballot, Democrats are no longer anxious about the potential for third-party candidates to sway the election. When President Joe Biden was at the top of the ticket, party members had formed groups to block Kennedy’s access to state ballots, fearing a repeat of 2016, when Stein drew votes away from Hillary Clinton.
However, with Harris as the nominee, enthusiasm for third-party candidates has waned, and voters now have an alternative to Biden and former President Donald Trump.
“I don’t hear much concern about it,” said Linda Norton, a 75-year-old Wisconsin delegate. “I think people have a negative opinion of Kennedy, and I’m not sure anyone takes them seriously.”
Aileen Pettinger, a Michigan delegate, expressed confidence in Harris’s campaign, saying, “I don’t think it’s an issue in Michigan. Our candidate is amazing, and we’re fighting together.”
Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian protesters have been disrupting Democratic events, including the convention, to express their opposition to the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Some, like Sarah Bechdel, a 35-year-old Chicago resident, have vowed to vote for Stein instead of Harris.
Stein herself claims that Democrats still fear her campaign, citing their efforts to keep her off the ballot. However, her campaign is currently polling at just 1% in a five-way matchup against Harris, Trump, Kennedy, and West.
Kennedy’s campaign, which is polling at 4.5%, has been distributing buttons encouraging Democrats to support his presidential bid. West, who is polling at 0.4%, has been speaking out against the two-party system and urging voters to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
