As the U.S. presidential race begins to heat up, there’s a wild card complicating the rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Several third party and independent candidates are also in the running. In an election that's likely to be close, these marginal players could have an outsized impact.

Washington

The 2024 United States presidential election, expected to be between Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump is set to take place this November. 

U.S. Presidential Election

The U.S. presidential race, featuring a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, is experiencing an additional layer of complexity with the entrance of several third-party and independent candidates. These candidates, although marginal in comparison to the main contenders, could significantly influence the election outcome. Given the anticipation of a close race, the impact of these third-party and independent candidates is magnified, posing a potential challenge to the predictability of the election results.



Could third-party candidates swing the U.S. election?

Here's the deal with independent and third-party candidates. No third-party candidate, of course, has ever won the presidency. We've had third-party candidates who have affected the outcome, and that will be the role that these third-party candidates play. Let's start with Teddy Roosevelt. In 1912, the former president decided he wanted his old job back. But his former close friend William Taft was the incumbent and wanted another term. Taft won the Republican nomination, so Roosevelt set up his own so-called Bull Moose Party. Plus we have what may be a fairly strong independent candidacy from a socialist candidate, Eugene Doves. With the split amongst the Republicans, Democratic New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson came out the winner. The strongest third-party candidate of the 20th century was segregationist Alabama Governor George Wallace in 1968. His anti-civil rights platform won him five states in the Deep South with 48 electoral votes. But Republican Richard Nixon beat Wallace and Democrat Hubert Humphrey. And we want to close on our theme song. Let's hit it, Ed. We're crazy. In 1992, eccentric Texas billionaire Ross Perot's independent run took enough votes from incumbent Republican George H.W. Bush to hand the White House to Democrat Bill Clinton. Let us begin anew. The most notorious third-party effect was on the 2000 election between Texas Governor George Bush and Vice President Al Gore. It comes down to Florida. Bush ends up winning Florida by just a few hundred votes. And so what explains that? Well, the third-party candidates took enough votes away from Al Gore that if he had had those votes, he would have been president of the United States. And that brings us back to the independents running this year. They will most certainly lose. But the number of votes they may siphon off from Joe Biden or Donald Trump in just a few states could decide the election. And that's why they are important for the U.S. and for the world. Rob Reynolds, Al Jazeera, Los Angeles.

Five asylum seekers have been detained after arriving on Saibai Island, just off the northern tip of Australia in the Torres Strait, originating from West Africa. Traveling approximately 14,000km using forged documents, their journey included stops in Indonesia and PNG.

Cape York

Asylum seekers arrive on boat from PNG

April was the eleventh consecutive month to break its own heat record, the European Union climate monitor Copernicus said, while ocean temperatures have been off the charts for even longer.

Brussels

Climate Crisis

Hottest April on record extends global temperature streak

The White House condemned the interruption of humanitarian deliveries to Gaza, with a senior U.S. official later revealing Washington had paused a shipment of bombs last week after Israel failed to address concerns over its Rafah plans.

Israel-Gaza War

U.S. pauses bomb shipments to Israel amid concerns over Rafah

The death toll continues to rise in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande Do Sul, in the wake of torrential rains and floods. At least 138 people have died and thousands lack water and electricity as floodwaters inundate entire towns.

State of Rio Grande do Sul

‘Desperate’ rescues under way as Brazil floods kill hundreds

The grief-stricken parents of murdered Perth brothers Jake and Callum Robinson have spoken for the first time since the pair were killed in Mexico. In an emotional statement on a San Diego beach, Debra and Martin Robinson confirmed they had identified their sons bodies, and are now planning to bring them home.

San Diego

Parents of Australian brothers open up on heartbreak

A 39-year-old woman has been stabbed in the carpark of the Crunch Fitness gym in Alexandria, Sydney's inner-south. Witnesses say the woman ran into the gym bleeding from her face. Police say it is a suspected domestic violence incident.

Alexandria

Manhunt underway after woman stabbed in Sydney gym carpark

As Israeli tanks roll through the southern Gaza city of Rafah after rejecting Hamas's ceasefire offer, the country's leaders are facing increasing pressure from both inside and out to reach a deal to stop the fighting.

Rafah

Israel rejects Hamas truce offer, takes control of Rafah crossing

Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand in Donald Trump’s hush money trial, outlining the salacious details of her alleged sexual encounter with the former U.S. president and the payments she says she received for her silence.

New York

Stormy Daniels delivers explosive testimony in Trump hush money trial

Millions of people have cast their ballots in India’s third of a seven-phase general election. It took place in eleven states and union territories. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a third term, cast his vote in Ahmedabad.

Gujarat

Millions vote in third phase of India's national elections

Ukraine says it thwarted a Russian plot to assassinate senior Ukrainian political and military figures, including President Volodymyr Zelensky. Two Ukrainian security officials were arrested for their links to Russia's Federal Security Service, which had aimed to carry out high-profile killings ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's inauguration.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine says it foiled Russian attempt to assassinate Zelenskyy

A spokesperson for the Chinese Communist Party has deflected blame for an altercation between a Chinese military jet and an Australian Seahawk Helicopter in waters off South Korea, claiming the helicopter was flying 'too close' to Chinese territorial waters.

Beijing

China blames Australia for mid-air military incident

President Vladimir Putin was sworn in for a new six-year term on Tuesday (May 7) at a Kremlin ceremony, boycotted by the U.S. and other Western countries, at which he said he was potentially open to nuclear talks with the West.

Moscow

Putin starts new six-year term with challenge to West

The Israeli military said it had taken operational control of the Palestinian side of Gaza's southern Rafah Crossing, which borders Egypt, and that special forces were scanning the area.

Israel claims control of Rafah crossing

President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian military to hold nuclear weapons drills involving the navy and troops based near Ukraine, the defence ministry said Monday.

Putin orders nuclear drills near Ukraine

Australian and Chinese relations are strained following an incident involving military forces from both countries. During a routine operation in the Yellow Sea, within international waters, an Australian helicopter faced an aggressive manoeuver by a Chinese military jet.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia hits out at China over helicopter incident

Interest rates will remain unchanged after the Reserve Bank of Australia decided to keep the cash rate at 4.35%, a figure that has held steady since November. It comes amidst the ongoing struggle with rising costs of living pressures.

RBA keeps interest rates on hold

Israel has launched new airstrikes in Rafah, warning 100,000 people there to flee to a designated safe area ahead of an expected ground operation. The strikes came after Hamas agreed to a mediated ceasefire proposal but Israel did not.

Hamas accepts mediated ceasefire deal; Israel doesn't

The bodies of Perth brothers Callum and Jake Robinson have been formally identified after their grieving family arrived in Mexico. Authorities have arrested four people in connection with the alleged murders.

Baja California

Grieving family arrives in Mexico to identify brothers' remains

The Defence Minister has condemned the conduct of a Chinese fighter jet, which launched flares near an Australian Seahawk helicopter. The incident occurred over international waters in the Yellow Sea off the coast of South Korea.

Seoul

Chinese fighter jet detonates flares near Australian helicopter

Israel's military has carried out airstrikes in Rafah, residents said, hours after Israel told Palestinians to evacuate parts of the southern Gaza city where more than a million people uprooted by the war have been sheltering.

Jerusalem

Israel strikes Rafah after evacuation order, residents say

Chinese President Xi Jinping awoke in Paris on Monday on his first visit to the region in five years, with trade and Russia's war with Ukraine on the agenda in talks with France's Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

Paris

China's Xi Jinping pays state visit to France

Israel has ordered civilians in Rafah to move towards Khan Younis, in the clearest sign yet that a military operation is imminent. A ceasefire in Gaza looks as distant as ever with Hamas refusing to lay down arms unless there is a complete cessation of the war. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would go it alone if necessary, even in the face of criticism from its Western allies.

Israeli army orders Palestinians to evacuate parts of Rafah

The bodies Australian brothers, Jake and Callum Robinson have been identified by authorities in Baja California, Mexico. It comes as their grieving parents arrive in the country.

Brothers identified as victims of Mexico robbery

Qantas has been ordered to compensate passengers following revelations that it sold tickets on thousands of flights that had already been cancelled. The airline has agreed to pay a $100 million fine and $20 million in compensation to affected passengers.

Mascot

Qantas ordered to pay compensation over 'ghost flight' scandal

A former detective is facing allegations of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman whose case he was initially assigned to investigate. Accused of exploiting his authority, Glenn Coleman, 55, has been charged with 10 offences,

Penrith

Police officer accused of assaulting rape victim

The death toll from heavy rains that have caused flooding in Brazil's southern state of Rio Grande do Sul has risen to at least 78, local authorities said, with more than 115,000 people displaced.

Death toll rises in record-breaking Brazil floods

China's President Xi Jinping has arrived in France for a rare visit with President Emmanuel Macron. They are set to discuss trade, amid growing tension between Europe and China over an imbalance between China's exports and European imports.

China's Xi Jinping visits Europe amid global tensions

While several pro-Palestinian campus protests in the U.S. were dismantled over the weekend, others became more disruptive and interrupted at least one graduation ceremony.

Chicago

Protests disrupt graduation ceremonies at U.S. universities

Prospects for a Gaza ceasefire appeared slim as Hamas reiterated its demand for an end to the war in exchange for the freeing of hostages, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flatly ruled that out.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Gaza truce hopes fade as Israel, Hamas trade blame

The Israeli cabinet has voted to unanimously shut down Al Jazeera's operations in the country. That's according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement on X. 
It is not clear when this decision will take effect.

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U.S. Presidential Election