UW Political Scientist on New Forward Party

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2022 -- 8:15 AM

(Bob Hague, WRN) A UW political scientist says the prospects for a newly announced third party are not very good.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang announced the Forward Party last week. Professor Kenneth Mayer notes, “American history is just littered with carcasses of failed third parties.”

Mayer said the U.S. political system just isn’t set up to allow third parties much chance of having an impact. “The probability is not zero, but it's vanishingly unlikely.”

Mayer added, “This goes back 150 years since the beginning of the modern two party system in the 1850s. There has never been a third party that was actually sustainable.”

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang announced the Forward Party last week, making his pitch to Americans dissatisfied with both the Democrats and the Republicans.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.