Third Party Candidates Polling Low in Presidential Race

Author: Kymberly Bays
Published: 08 Jul, 2012
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Updated: 13 Oct, 2022●
1 min read
A Gallup poll released on Friday shows a tepid response by likely voters to third-party candidates. Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson comes in with 3%, for the best showing. Majority of voters intend on casting their ballots in favor of Mitt Romney or President Obama.
Two percent volunteer Ron Paul's name, despite the Texas congressman still bidding for the Republican nomination.
Per Gallup:
With no high-profile third-party candidate entering the presidential race thus far, the third-party vote for president is likely to be limited this year. At most, 5% to 7% of U.S. registered voters currently say they would vote for someone other than Obama or Romney. However, as the historical data suggest, that percentage is likely an upper limit, given the drop in support for third-party candidates over the course of the campaign and the tendency for polls to overestimate such candidates' support when they are included in presidential preference questions.
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