Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

News

The Graphic Truth: Third-party US presidential bids

The Graphic Truth: Third-party US presidential bids
Make us preferred on Google

John Adams, the second president of the United States, warned that the domination of the political system by two parties would inevitably become a "great political evil." Looking at the hyper-partisan state of US politics in 2020, it appears that Adams was onto something. Since the mid-1800s, the executive and legislative branches have been dominated by the Republican and Democratic parties. While historically presidential hopefuls outside the mainstream — commonly known as third-party candidates — have failed to make a dent in the two-party system's lock on power, at times they have garnered enough support to significantly impact the way that votes are distributed, thus influencing the outcome. Here's a look at how third-party candidates have performed in US presidential elections since 1992.

More For You

Middle East elections and escalation, with Brett McGurk
As Israel and the US head toward elections, the Middle East faces the prospect of further escalation. The Iran war has no clear endpoint, Houthi attacks are threatening US partners, and governments across the region are questioning whom they can count on.On the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer speaks with Brett McGurk, former White House Middle [...]
What is the “AI race” anyway?
Talk of the “AI race” is everywhere these days. The competition to master this technology shapes everything from high-level tensions between the US and China to the local politics of where to build data centers. And the stakes are high. Whoever masters AI will “rule the world,” according to Russian President Vladimir Putin. US President Donald [...]
Oil hits six-month high
Will Fitzpatrick
Ongoing Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have raised concerns about further disruptions to global energy supplies, especially after Saudi state oil company Aramco ordered the evacuation of its headquarters on Thursday. And the situation could get worse: The US and Israel are reportedly discussing renewed new strikes on Iran after the US midterms in [...]
​Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro speaks during a presidential debate, ahead of the runoff presidential election, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 18, 2026.

Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro speaks during a presidential debate, ahead of the runoff presidential election, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, October 18, 2026.

REUTERS/Jean Carniel
Brazil finally decides: Lula or Bolsonaro?After a deeply polarizing campaign, Brazilian voters will finally go to the polls on Sunday to choose: left-wing incumbent Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, who has served three terms since 2002, or right-winger Flávio Bolsonaro, whose father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, was jailed for plotting a coup. [...]