Should third-party candidates take the debate stage?
They are about to in this presidential debate you might not have heard of
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump’s first presidential debate in June on CNN fueled widespread concern from top Democrats on Biden’s age and health. Trump also faced criticisms after making a number of false or misleading claims that were not fact-checked for viewers in real time. The two are set to debate again one more time in September on ABC.
Missing from these events are several third-party presidential candidates who don’t meet the networks’ debate eligibility requirements, among which is a stipulation of a minimum of 15 percent in four separate network-approved national polls.
But every presidential hopeful this election cycle is invited to another debate Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada. Confirmed participants are Libertarian nominee Chase Oliver, Green Party’s Jill Stein and Randall Terry of the Constitution Party. The debate is organized by non-partisan non-profit Free and Equal Elections Foundation. Founder Christina Tobin and Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) are serving as moderators. Candidates only need an average of two percent in an approved national poll to participate.
In an interview with Zivvy News, Free and Equal’s Director of Policy and Strategy Mike Leon cited the growing dissatisfaction with the two presumptive major-party candidates amongst American voters as one of many reasons presidential debates should be made more accessible to third-party candidates.
Looking at states like Arizona, where a majority of voters are registered as independent, and New Hampshire, where 40 percent are undeclared or independent voters, Leon pointed to a trend.
“You're seeing more and more people as they turn 18 and get a little bit older, within that 18 to 29 demo, starting to register as independents. They don't think that either party fits what they want overall, ideology-wise,” he said.
Leon joined Free and Equal over his dissatisfaction with America’s de facto two-party system, and he is not alone. A recent Harvard CAPS/Harris poll found that 71 percent of Americans believe independent and/or third-party candidates should be allowed to share the debate stage with major-party candidates.
The topics set to be discussed at the Free and Equal debate will be similar to the network debates. Expect the economy, immigration, and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars to dominate. But Leon emphasizes the goal is not to completely emulate the network debates when it comes to the tone and time restrictions.
“We're trying to make this a civilized healthy discussion about policies,” he explained, also that they will focus on Trump and Biden. “What they've done right, [and] what you would do differently if you're the leader of the free world. This is the most important job in the world, right? This is the CEO of the United States. And so we need to ask the questions that voters are most focused on right now.”
Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Cornel West have not yet confirmed their participation in the debate,
though both are slated to speak during the wider FreedomFest event that the debate is part of. While President Biden is unlikely to take part, Leon told Zivvy News the Trump campaign has expressed interest in the event. He said the date of the debate had been revised so it would not impose a scheduling conflict for Trump.
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