When will America have a third party president?

[Del Tachi]

So, when will we?

I say the 2030s or 2040s, the election of a thrid-party president might be the final anti-conformist declaration of Generation X.

[Bo]

After 2092. And does Independent count as 3rd party?

[Del Tachi]

After 2092. And does Independent count as 3rd party?

Yes, candidates without party affiliation count as third parties...

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

Never. Zach Taylor, the last non-GOP or DEM president, was 150 years ago.

[Hans-im-Glück]

This will be never happen. It is only possible that a independent candidate will be win, but only with the support of one of the two big parties.

[Bo]

You all know that Ross Perot was leading in the polls for part of 1992, right? And never is a very long time.

[Psychic Octopus]

Never, unless said third party replaces a main party (Likely, at least eventually) or America is in a completely altered form.

[tpfkaw]

Even Abe Lincoln's GOP had established itself as the second-biggest party by 1856.

[??????????]

Even Abe Lincoln's GOP had established itself as the second-biggest party by 1856.

Don't know about that.

[tpfkaw]

Even Abe Lincoln's GOP had established itself as the second-biggest party by 1856.

Don't know about that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1856

[Beet]

Even Abe Lincoln's GOP had established itself as the second-biggest party by 1856.

That just means a 'third party' established itself first and then elected a President. Of course, the Republican party was really just an extension of the Whigs.

[Magic 8-Ball]

Never. Either the Republicans or the Democrats will co-opt (and find a better way to market) whatever it is that makes a third party even remotely palatable to the electorate, thus ensuring they never aggregate the support necessary to threaten the duopoly.

[Bull Moose Base]

Within the next 15 years.

[Psychic Octopus]

Within the next 15 years.

What's your reasoning?

[RIP Robert H Bork]

It won't.

[J. J.]

1860. 

A third part displaces the second party in the American system.  Sometimes the third party is fused into one of the two major parties.

[Mint]

Option 1, I suspect we'll have one by the late 2010s-2020s. It could happen as early as 2012 but I don't think people have quite learned their lesson plus there doesn't seem to be anyone on the horizon like Ross Perot that could actually have the funds to get past all the barriers we have in place. But the discontent with the two party establishment is clearly there and has been getting worse since Bush's second term.

[GMantis]

Even Abe Lincoln's GOP had established itself as the second-biggest party by 1856.

Don't know about that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1856

Using Wikipedia as a source for Presidential elections on the "Atlas of US Presidential Elections"? It seems those who said that Wikipedia would take over the Internet were right.

[Yelnoc]

1860. 

A third part displaces the second party in the American system.  Sometimes the third party is fused into one of the two major parties.

Not really.  The Republicans had stepped into the void that the disentigration of the Whigs caused before the election of 1856.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Even Abe Lincoln's GOP had established itself as the second-biggest party by 1856.

Agree. In both 1856 and 1860 the GOP already was one of the two major parties, thus all claims "Lincoln was the only third-party President elected" is just an urban legend.

[DS0816]

When will America have a third party president?

After we're all dead!

Do you think the Republicans and Democrats, despite their differences, aren't united to keep the presidency between the two parties? They want no outsiders!

It's R-vs.-D. It's Elephant-vs.-Donkey. It's Team Red-vs.-Team Blue. And don't you forget that!

[feeblepizza]

After 2092

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

When will America have a third party president?

After we're all dead!

Do you think the Republicans and Democrats, despite their differences, aren't united to keep the presidency between the two parties? They want no outsiders!

It's R-vs.-D. It's Elephant-vs.-Donkey. It's Team Red-vs.-Team Blue. And don't you forget that!

You spend too much time with libby.

[5280]

once people are not blinded by the two party system...

[Free Palestine]

A party that merges with or replaces one of the major parties would not be a "third party."  We'd have a third party president, if that person is rich, and finds the right place between the two other candidates, to where he or she doesn't just siphon off voted from one candidate.