Why does a third party never reach the end phase of elections in the US?

Question

In the US there are always two parties that get the major parts of the votes. A third party (like the Green Party) never reaches the end phase. I could imagine three (or more) men or women arguing in a debate on tv. Why does a third party not get enough votes to get involved in the end phase of the elections? Why is it always only the Democratic or the Republican party that is reaching for power?

Both parties have a long history so people know their idealogy better than the new establishment, so their voter bases are sizable. Note that the larger base has the advantages of fundings and spendings, which possess the steepest barrier to a new party. — r13, Jun 13 '21 at 22:17
@r13 Then did it start already as a two party system (or at least one in which these two had the major influence)? — Deschele Schilder, Jun 13 '21 at 22:23
It should be in the US history book, which party or parties in the early days. But I am positive that Green Party wouldn't be one (not even existed then). — r13, Jun 13 '21 at 22:27
"American electoral politics has been dominated by two major political parties since shortly after the founding of the republic. Since the 1850s..." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_parties_in_the_United_States — r13, Jun 13 '21 at 22:30
The question is based on a false premise: third party candidates DO sometimes win elections in the US. — jamesqf, Jun 14 '21 at 16:30

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 13 '21 at 22:15

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As soon as another party gets even close to big enough to be in the running, one of the other parties absorbs it's policies.

There isn't one Republican party and one Democrat party, each is an amalgam of parties they previously absorbed.

answered Jun 13 '21 at 22:15

Caleth

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But how can you absorb the leaders of other parties? – Deschele Schilder Jun 13 '21 at 22:20
@Methadont They can join voluntarily, but the absorber doesn't need them to – Caleth Jun 13 '21 at 22:21
But what if the ideology of the small party is not the ideology of the constituents? – Deschele Schilder Jun 13 '21 at 22:25
You end up with parties with contradictory policies – Caleth Jun 13 '21 at 22:28
Exactly! Is this no good? – Deschele Schilder Jun 13 '21 at 23:15

score -1 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 14 '21 at 02:36

The premise of the question is not true: here's list of 3rd party candidates with significant performance.

As for the implied questions, why don't the 3rd party win, that's because the winner takes all voting method adopted in the US deteriorates small party representation, thus causing voters to consciously lean toward a bigger party that's closer to their views even when a smaller party with a better match is available.

Why does a third party never reach the end phase of elections in the US?

2 Answers2