In order to counteract the influence of third-party candidates—which some strategists view as the “single biggest threat” to their campaign’s success—the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is getting ready for the 2024 presidential election. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is forming an official committee headed by Lis Smith, a former Pete Buttigieg campaign assistant, to address the issue brought up by third-party initiatives. The organization is armed with opposition research, a “aggressive communications component,” and legal action to ensure that independent candidates do not cut into the Democratic vote.
The significance of this risk was underscored by seasoned Democratic strategist Joe Trippi, who stated, “The biggest threat to Trump’s reelection is third-party candidates.” It’s not Biden’s age. Whether or not Trump is found guilty is irrelevant. None of the statements are true.
Reduced influence from independent candidates on the Democratic vote is an attempt to address concerns that have lingered from previous elections, most notably the 2016 presidential race. Some Democrats believe that Jill Stein and other independent candidates helped Donald Trump win by stealing votes from Hillary Clinton in that election. Pat Dennis, the president of American Bridge, a Democratic opposition research group, expressed remorse for not criticizing Stein’s candidacy more vehemently and suggested adopting a more aggressive approach in the next race.
The DNC intends to use this tactic to warn voters about the potential consequences of endorsing a third-party candidate, implying that doing so would be tantamount to endorsing Trump. The Biden team may need to invest a significant amount of money in educating people about the risks associated with third-party voting, as former Democratic senator Claire McCaskill noted when emphasizing the importance of this educational initiative.
Rick Wilson, a co-founder of the Lincoln Project, expressed questions about the viability of a third-party No Labels initiative given the current political climate. Wilson like the idea of third-party efforts in a more traditional electoral system, but he believes that in 2024, the presence of a strong third-party candidate may inadvertently secure Trump’s victory.
Clearly, the Democratic Party is not playing around as it prepares to counterbalance the influence of independent candidates, aware that these individuals have the power to influence the result of what appears to be a hotly contested presidential battle.