Third-party candidates will be on the ballot in all the top battleground states, drawing increased scrutiny over how they could influence the outcome of the presidential election in two weeks.
Vice President Harris and former President Trump are statistically tied in many of these swing states, meaning a percentage point or two going to another candidate could change the outcome of the White House race.
Green Party nominee Jill Stein is now the most prominent third-party candidate, but others — including independent Cornel West and Libertarian candidate Chase Oliver — are also still running. Meanwhile, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has since withdrawn and endorsed Trump, will still appear on a couple of key ballots.
Here’s where the third-party candidates stand in critical swing states:
Arizona
Election analysts expect Arizona to be called earlier this November than last cycle, but having two outsiders by way of Stein and Oliver on the ticket means the results could still be messy.
Stein is ahead with Muslim American voters in the Grand Canyon State, while Oliver’s presence in the race decreases the lead for both Trump and Harris, according to the most recent New York Times/Siena College survey.
Georgia
Trump’s lead in Georgia — 8 points according to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ’s average — has flustered Democrats who saw long-term success on the horizon after 2020. But Georgia’s blue tilt is less certain this cycle. A surge of........