Spoiler campaign

A spoiler campaign (or a spoiler candidate) is one that cannot win but can still determine the outcome by causing a competitive candidate to lose. The spoiler effect is especially prevalent in two-party systems (like the one in the United States) created by first-past-the-post voting instead of the more common proportional representation systems. Approval voting is considered one of the most spoiler-resistant voting systems, followed by ranked-choice voting.
United States
Third party candidates have not won more than 5% of the vote in a presidential campaign since 1992, and not won any states' electoral votes since 1968. The two major parties have regularly won 98% of all state and federal seats. The US presidential elections most consistently cited as having been spoiled by third-party candidates are 1844 and 2000, For the 2024 presidential election, Republican lawyers and operatives have fought to keep the Constitution Party and American Solidarity Party off of swing state ballots while working to get Cornel West on battleground ballots.
Third party candidates are always controversial because almost anyone could play spoiler. This is especially true in close elections where the chances of a spoiler effect increase. Strategic voting, especially prevalent during high stakes elections with high political polarization, often leads to a third-party that underperforms its poll numbers with voters wanting to make sure their least favorite candidate is not in power. Third-party candidates prefer to focus on their platform than on their impact on the frontrunners.<ref name=":0" />

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