A three-way race is possible and potentially interesting
Data point: CNN’s latest poll says “In a four-way matchup between [Democrat Hillary] Clinton, [Republican Donald] Trump, [Libertarian Gary] Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein, Clinton carries 42%, Trump 37%, Johnson 13% and Stein 5%.” [See this article.]
Data point: The Washington Post reports that “Both candidates remain highly unpopular - the two most unpopular in the history of Post-ABC polling. By about 2 to 1 (64 percent to 31 percent), Americans view Trump unfavorably. Clinton’s numbers are not quite as negative - 42 percent favorable and 54 percent unfavorable. Half of all registered voters say they have strongly unfavorable views of Trump, while 47 percent say they have strongly unfavorable views of Clinton - the highest ever in a Post-ABC poll for her.” [See this article.]
Data point: The Commission on Presidential Debate says that to be invited to participate in a debate, a candidate must be polling at 15% or more. [See this page.]
Combine those data points, and I’ve decided to urge everyone, if you are included in a political opinion poll, to tell the pollster you support Gary Johnson. I’m not asking you to change your vote (if you’ve already decided who you’re supporting, and apparently 80% of the electorate has already made that decision), and I’m not asking you to vote for any candidate. But I think the debates would be fascinating, and the campaign would be much more interesting than the current cesspool we’re wading through, if it did start to look like a three-way race.
Data point: The Washington Post reports that “Both candidates remain highly unpopular - the two most unpopular in the history of Post-ABC polling. By about 2 to 1 (64 percent to 31 percent), Americans view Trump unfavorably. Clinton’s numbers are not quite as negative - 42 percent favorable and 54 percent unfavorable. Half of all registered voters say they have strongly unfavorable views of Trump, while 47 percent say they have strongly unfavorable views of Clinton - the highest ever in a Post-ABC poll for her.” [See this article.]
Data point: The Commission on Presidential Debate says that to be invited to participate in a debate, a candidate must be polling at 15% or more. [See this page.]
Combine those data points, and I’ve decided to urge everyone, if you are included in a political opinion poll, to tell the pollster you support Gary Johnson. I’m not asking you to change your vote (if you’ve already decided who you’re supporting, and apparently 80% of the electorate has already made that decision), and I’m not asking you to vote for any candidate. But I think the debates would be fascinating, and the campaign would be much more interesting than the current cesspool we’re wading through, if it did start to look like a three-way race.