Third-party candidates could be decisive in America’s election

WHEN the Democratic candidate, Al Gore, narrowly lost the presidential election of 2000, , a senator at the time, directed his fury at one of the also-rans, Ralph Nader. The left-leaning Mr Nader won 97,488 votes in Florida, far more than Mr Gore’s losing margin of 537. “Nader cost us the election,” Mr Biden concluded.Nearly a quarter of a century later, Mr Biden is the Democratic candidate in a race that is also likely to be close. With Nikki Haley, ’s final adversary in the Republican primaries, suspending her campaign this week, he has in effect . That sets up a rematch between Mr Biden and Mr Trump. But several other candidates have also vowed to run and are trying to get themselves on the ballot. Given the closeness of the polls, it is quite possible that these third parties could tip the election either way.