Ralph Nader announced his third presidential bid on Sunday's "Meet The Press." He previously ran in 2000, winning 2.7% of the vote, and 2004, winning 0.4% of the vote.
Nader came to prominence as a consumer advocate, writing the book "Unsafe at Any Speed" and taking on the car industry for their safety practices. He continued his activism, forming the group Public Citizen and enlisting other activists to work for him, who became known as "Nader's Raiders."
In 2000, he ran for president on the Green Party ticket, hoping to earn 5% of the popular vote, which would have earned the Green Party matching funds in future elections. However, he only received 2.7% of the popular vote. There was an ensuing argument about whether the votes for Nader could have tipped the 2000 election from Al Gore to George W. Bush, particularly due to Nader's votes in Florida, a crucial swing state. He ran for president again in 2004, this time independent of any party, receiving 0.4% of the vote.
Do you feel the need for a third party candidate? Are you happy with the choices offered by the Democratic and Republican parties? Do you worry about Nader tipping the balance one direction or another in this election? Would you consider voting for Nader or another third party candidate? Tell us your thoughts in our comments section!
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