Paul Fritz

When a politician runs for office and chooses to do so under a party

label, certainly there will be a sacrifice of personal ideas for the sake of
representing an attractive portrayal of a partys values. However, with 49
governors and 533 members of Congress identifying as a Republican or
Democrat, its evident that joining a party is an essential process to
participating in the collective action that is our government. As normal as
it has become to join a party to support the efforts of candidacy, running
as a 3rd party has become as futile of an endeavor. A reason for this is our
voting format. A winner-take-all proceeding, voters change their
strategy by shifting support from their favorite candidate to the one who
is a lesser evil and has a chance to win. There is no reason a politician
should consider running 3rd party if he has any desire to actually win the
election because the voting format alone will push votes away. Even if the
people wanted a 3rd party President, the strategy they take to the ballot
will always perpetuate the existence of the two-party system.
The media brutally de-legitimizes the 3rd partys campaign by
portraying the candidate as an underdog and a potential spoiler to the
chances of a party-affiliated candidate. To me, this implication alone is
enough to sway viewers perception of the independent as having no
viable chance of winning. Furthermore, there are distinct advantages to
running with a party while pursuing office; such as being able to argue in
the primary debates. Because they are televised nationwide, they serve
as a major source of information for voters. Candidates use these debates
as opportunities to engender the idea in voters minds that they are a
realistic option for presidency.
In this election, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders decided against
running as independents and have since become formidable candidates
for the Republican and Democratic parties, respectively. Still, they each
hold influence as independents and this doesnt simply disappear with a
party label. Specifically, there is a threat to each party if Trump or Sanders
do not win the nomination. Fringe voters and moderates on both sides
have expressed support and if they dont win the primary election for their
party, there is a threat that they could take those voters with them,
consequently giving the opposition a greater chance for victory. Trump
and Sanders, perhaps on different scales, have essentially handcuffed
their parties to treat them as serious candidates. Trump has pledged that
he would not run independently if he doesnt get the nomination. Sanders
has said he precisely would not do it because of his desire for the
Democrats to win the election, even without him at the helm. Regardless
of their intentions, the stronghold is still present. The organization of

parties appeal specifically to independent candidates for the opportunity it

provides to make decisions on behalf of the party. Anything imposed or
enforced by the current leader of a party is automatically seen as a direct
representation of that partys ideals. This would be beneficial if an
independent candidate wanted to adjust, even slightly, the way a party
operates and for whom it serves.