The Impact of Third-Party Candidates on Down-Ticket Republicans

The Takeaway | Aug 15, 2016

The November ballot got a little more crowded last week when Evan McMullin, ex-chief policy director for the House Republican Conference and former CIA agent, threw his name into the presidential race as an independent. 

Down-ticket Republicans are concerned Donald Trump could drag down the rest of the party, jeopardizing their elections. Third-party candidates and Democrats are vying for those votes, incorporating conservative issues into their platforms and campaigning in Republican territory. 

So why would a Republican insider throw his name into the race in mid-August, and as a third-party candidate? Sam Wang, data analyst and founder of the Princeton Election Consortium, says this late registration isn't about winning. It's an attempt to bring more Republican voters to the polls. That way, Republicans might be able to save another seat in down-ticket races.

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