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If You Can Keep It: The role of third-party candidates in the 2024 election

Green party nominee Jill Stein speaks during a campaign rally at the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture in New York City.
Green party nominee Jill Stein speaks during a campaign rally at the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture in New York City.

Third parties and third-party candidatesare not a new phenomenon in American politics. But this year,thestakes of their candidacies are especially high.

The list of third-party candidates running this year includes Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West, both of whom are running as Independents. Jill Stein returns to the campaign trail as a representative of the Green Party.

What role do third parties play in elections? And how could they influence this year’s presidential one—even if they don’t win it?

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Haili Blassingame