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[TheUntamedLegend]

Because he used to be a democrat, and is now running as a Republican in an already difficult election for Republicans. Now he threatens to go independent.
In most elections where a third party candidate has aligned with the interests of the two major parties of the day, the spoiler effect has occurred.
The first recorded one was James Birney for Henry Clay, allowing James K Polk to be elected.
More famously are William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt in fighting allowing Woodrow Wilson to win.
And in the recent past, Ross Perot for Bush Sr., and Nader for Gore.
These are not very isolated incidences, and the ramifications of the spoiler candidate have quite literally altered the course of history.
So why would Trump go ahead if not to sabotage the Republicans?

Spoiler

Narcissism. Therein lies the answer.

Perot siphoning support from Bush I might not be as true as everybody assumes. The Republicans put the blame on the Perot campaign because it was an easier excuse for their loss, but Perot's base was not "stolen" exclusively from the right wing.

In 1992, Perot got 19% of the vote, but in 1996 he only managed 8%. Where did half of his support go? Not back to the Republican party: Dole only managed about 2% more than Bush did four years earlier.

 

[RumblingRosco]

Im really gonna love it when Trump pretends to be playing the long con all these years and becoming a racist piece of shit to take down the GOP.

Trump will be the hero of the USA when this is all done.

 

[Flo_Evans]

I would actually love a 4 person race.

Clinton
Sanders
Bush
Trump

Lets destroy the stupid 2 party system.

 

[Future]

I love all of this. All the hilarity always in the Republican Party. Can't have anything to do with the views and talking points that attract certain types of people right?

Nahhhhhhh

 

[Hilbert]

If trump goes 3rd party, I will join you Sanders people!

Woooooooooo!

 

[TheUntamedLegend]

I would actually love a 4 person race.

Clinton
Sanders
Bush
Trump

Lets destroy the stupid 2 party system.

What do you think this would accomplish?
For argument's sake, say Sanders and Trump each take 15% from their respective rivals. The electoral map does not change. Maybe Sanders takes Vermont.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I would actually love a 4 person race.

Clinton
Sanders
Bush
Trump

Lets destroy the stupid 2 party system.

It's not like the 2 party system is law. It's there because it serves the majority of politician's own self interest and for that reason it's probably never going away.

 

[Luigi87]

Donald gonna form his own party. With blackjack, and hookers!

 

[CDX]

I would actually love a 4 person race.

Clinton
Sanders
Bush
Trump

Lets destroy the stupid 2 party system.

Sanders has already left his decades long 3rd party affiliation. Specifically to re-register as a Democrat, so he could be eligible to run in the Democratic Primary.

However, I doubt Sanders will give you a 4 person race with him as a 3rd party candidate, given what he's already stated

To the dismay some idealists, Sanders rejected the idea of running for president as an independent. “No matter what I do, I will not be a spoiler,” Sanders said. “I will not play that role in helping to elect some right-wing Republican as President of the United States.”

 

[Walter White Walker]

The GOP is truly turning into the feel good comedy hit of the summer.

 

[johnny956]

This is going to be such an exciting presidential election. 2008 and 2012 were boring compared to this

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

Yes yes yes

 

[cntr]

This is already one of the greatest elections ever and we're just getting started.

 

[Evolved1]

The GOP has eaten itself.

 

[onadesertedisland]

Please splinter the teabaggers off into a third party.

 

[ElTorro]

However, I doubt Sanders will give you a 4 person race with him as a 3rd party candidate, given what he's already stated

Thank goodness. Imagine a candidate lineup so fractured that Trump could win the presidency with 25% of the votes.

If Trump goes independent, FOX News will drop him and destroy him. No way they are going to allow a landslide win for the Democrats.

 

[onadesertedisland]

Sanders has already left his decades long 3rd party affiliation. Specifically to re-register as a Democrat, so he could be eligible to run in the Democratic Primary.

However, I doubt Sanders will give you a 4 person race with him as a 3rd party candidate, given what he's already stated

Sanders would be a world changing president, sadly I think the political environment is not ready for him and he is reaching the end of his viability due to age. It's great to see clarity of a common goal expressed instead of ridiculous cemented ideology.

 

[Scott32020]

Guesses on his running mate?

Ben Carson
Ted Cruz
Michael Savage
Oprah Winfrey?

 

[Black Republican]

Not happening

 

[Sickboy007]

I'm sure he'll be able to negotiate. Donald Trump has some great negotiators. Negotiators.

 

[SchrodingerC]

Trump as a double agent confirmed.

If he goes third party then he better stay the fuck away from the Independents. I don't want him shitting up my party, he can go bother the green party instead.

 

[PeskyToaster]

Thank goodness. Imagine a candidate lineup so fractured that Trump could win the presidency with 25% of the votes.

If Trump goes independent, FOX News will drop him and destroy him. No way they are going to allow a landslide win for the Democrats.

Yeah but he plays up the media hate and that he is an outsider saying the things they won't let you say on the PC media which can include Fox News if he spins it that way. You can't destroy something that is feeding on your hatred.

 

[Rebel Leader]

No

Stay right where you are.

 

[Valhelm]

I would probably donate $200 to Trump, if he actually went third party.

 

[Rebel Leader]

I would probably donate $200 to Trump, if he actually went third party.

He only loves people who give him millions

and that sir it not even a mil.


Daddy trump will not love you.

 

[PeskyToaster]

I would probably donate $200 to Trump, if he actually went third party.

That's a loser amount of money. Only losers would donate that much. Be a winner, loser.

 

[ElTorro]

Yeah but he plays up the media hate and that he is an outsider saying the things they won't let you say on the PC media which can include Fox News if he spins it that way. You can't destroy something that is feeding on your hatred.

That only works because conservative media (FOX, Limbaugh, ...) are spreading this Trump-against-PC-media narrative. He needs some sort of megaphone to get attention. Once nobody reports on him anymore, he'll be gone.

 

[Amibguous Cad]

Thank goodness. Imagine a candidate lineup so fractured that Trump could win the presidency with 25% of the votes.

If Trump goes independent, FOX News will drop him and destroy him. No way they are going to allow a landslide win for the Democrats.

That's not possible. In the event that no candidate reaches over 50% of the electoral votes, the election is thrown to the House of Representatives. Which means that the Republicans get to choose.

 

[LegendofJoe]

I would probably donate $200 to Trump, if he actually went third party.

If he's still in the race late in the game and it's having a significant negative effect on the Republican candidate's polling numbers I will go out and campaign for him. I'm dead serious too.

 

[ivysaur12]

Let's check in with Hillary right now.

 

[Rebel Leader]

Let's check in with Hillary right now.

 

[Ziltoidia 9]

That's not possible. In the event that no candidate reaches over 50% of the electoral votes, the election is thrown to the House of Representatives. Which means that the Republicans get to choose.

If no candidate receives a majority of Electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the President from the 3 Presidential candidates who received the most Electoral votes. Each state delegation has one vote. The Senate would elect the Vice President from the 2 Vice Presidential candidates with the most Electoral votes. Each Senator would cast one vote for Vice President. If the House of Representatives fails to elect a President by Inauguration Day, the Vice-President Elect serves as acting President until the deadlock is resolved in the House.

 

[Xe4]

There is no way Trump is not a liberal trying to stop Bush from becoming president. His viewpoints were too liberal, and now he switches into a super-ultra-conservative? Maybe he's just racist, or maybe...

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

I would probably donate $200 to Trump, if he actually went third party.

"Valhelm thought he could look smart by donating $200 to my campaign. It didn't work!"

 

[Rebel Leader]

That's not possible. In the event that no candidate reaches over 50% of the electoral votes, the election is thrown to the House of Representatives. Which means that the Republicans get to choose.

There is no way Trump is not a liberal trying to stop Bush from becoming president. His viewpoints were too liberal, and now he switches into a super-ultra-conservative? Maybe he's just racist, or maybe...

the name is Trump...

Donald Trump

 

[kirblar]

*happy dance*

 

[OuterLimits]

I can see why Liberals would want Trump to run. It used to look like Clinton would win in a slam dunk, but some current polls and her rather high disapproval rating make that less certain.

Honestly, Clinton should be destroying the Republicans in the polls especially since the GOP is in disarray right now. The fact she isn't should concern Democrats in my opinion.

 

[riotous]

That's not possible. In the event that no candidate reaches over 50% of the electoral votes, the election is thrown to the House of Representatives. Which means that the Republicans get to choose.

It's possible for someone to get 25% of the populous vote and win the presidency though.

I doubt the poster was talking about 25% of the electoral votes.

 

[ElTorro]

That's not possible. In the event that no candidate reaches over 50% of the electoral votes, the election is thrown to the House of Representatives. Which means that the Republicans get to choose.

So if, let's say, Hillary gets 49%, Bush/Walker gets 41%, and Trump gets 10%, the House could theoretically make Trump the president? (Just asking for the sake of argument, obviously Republicans would not choose Trump.)

 

[BobTheFork]

Don't you DARE go third party and deny us the most magically stupid RNP debates in history Donald.

 

[ivysaur12]

So if, let's say, Hillary gets 49%, Bush/Walker gets 41%, and Trump gets 10%, the House could theoretically make Trump the president? (Just asking for the sake of argument, obviously Republicans would not choose Trump.)

Yes, but it's likely if Hillary were to win that %, she would've won the electoral college.

With only 10% of the vote, Trump would probably not win a state, but he would depress Bush or Walker's share of the votes in those states. So, let's say... in Ohio, if Trump gets 5% of the vote, Hillary gets 47% of the vote, but Bush or Walker only get, say, 46% of the vote, Hillary would win Ohio and get all of its electors.

This is what happened when Perot ran. Clinton only won 43% of the popular vote, but still won the EC at 370 electors.

 

[Rebel Leader]

Don't you DARE go third party and deny us the most magically stupid RNP debates in history Donald.

Bob you go left, I'll go right

We have to lock him in...

 

[LegendofJoe]

I can see why Liberals would want Trump to run. It used to look like Clinton would win in a slam dunk, but some current polls and her rather high disapproval rating make that less certain.

Honestly, Clinton should be destroying the Republicans in the polls especially since the GOP is in disarray right now. The fact she isn't should concern Democrats in my opinion.

Hillary and the Democrats in general aren't in the media spotlight nearly as much as the Republican candidates are that's why she's trailing. Once the nomination process is settled the media attention is going to shift big time to Hillary.

 

[ivysaur12]

Hillary and the Democrats in general aren't in the media spotlight nearly as much as the Republican candidates are that's why she's trailing. Once the nomination process is settled the media attention is going to shift big time to Hillary.

I can see why Liberals would want Trump to run. It used to look like Clinton would win in a slam dunk, but some current polls and her rather high disapproval rating make that less certain.

Honestly, Clinton should be destroying the Republicans in the polls especially since the GOP is in disarray right now. The fact she isn't should concern Democrats in my opinion.

In every single polling aggregate, she's dominating every single Republican challenger.

 

[Train of Midnight]

These feel like real Trump tweets

 

[Orbis Tabula]

I would actually love a 4 person race.

Clinton
Sanders
Bush
Trump

Lets destroy the stupid 2 party system.

I'm this situation, the winner just becomes the first candidate to realize they could trade a bad chance at president for a guarantee of VP. Sanders would say to Clinton "I'll drop out and give you my quarter of the votes if you make me veep." Or whatever role he wants. Our democracy has an attractor at "two-party system."

 

[PaulExcellent]

I'm riding the Trump train downtown.
No shit, if he does this, I'm so in.

 

[ElTorro]

These feel like real Trump tweets

AFAIK, they all are real. The website just let's you change the name of the person.

 

[Trouble]

Let's check in with Hillary right now.

 

[shadowsdarknes]

It'll be amazing.

He can easily get a huge percentage of the vote.

He's already got:
-The asshole vote
-The xenophobe vote

That's a pretty significant portion of America.
And it's not like he's going to purge Democratic voters.