The 3rd-Party Idea as a Growing Trend*
*Editor’s note: On March 4, 2022, Russia enacted a law that criminalizes public opposition to, or independent news reporting about, the war in Ukraine. The law makes it a crime to call the war a “war” rather than a “special military operation” on social media or in a news article or broadcast. The law is understood to penalize any language that “discredits” Russia’s use of its military in Ukraine, calls for sanctions or protests Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It punishes anyone found to spread “false information” about the invasion with up to 15 years in prison.
Elon Musk’s recent push to launch a new nationwide party — called the America Party — not only comes off as pretentious but also sets a fundamentally new trend in U.S. politics. For the first time since the mid-1990s, the idea of a strong third party is gaining traction as a potential challenge to the longstanding dominance of the Republican and Democratic parties. The last major effort in this vein came in 1995, when Ross Perot founded the Reform Party. Just a few years earlier, Perot had run a surprisingly strong presidential campaign as an independent candidate in 1992, finishing third behind Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, with 18.9% of the popular vote.
Musk and Perot have much in common, particularly in their political agendas and personal backgrounds. Both were outspoken about the dangers posed by the federal budget deficit and national debt and emphasized the need to reform the federal government. They also share a key similarity: neither came from within the political establishment. Instead, each is a prominent entrepreneur who entered the political arena from the business world, bringing with them an outsider's perspective.
Interestingly, Donald Trump has connections to both of these third-party figures. From 1999 to 2001, he was a member of the Reform Party, having briefly left the Republican Party before eventually returning. As for Musk, he was once closely aligned with key figures in the current Republican administration and was even considered part of Trump’s inner circle.
That said, the path forward for Musk’s America Party is far less clear than it was for Perot’s Reform Party. Perot’s party project was launched right after a strong presidential run and was largely tied to his subsequent, less successful bid for the White House. In contrast, Musk is proposing his idea during a political lull. The next major election in the U.S. is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026 (when voters will elect members to both chambers of Congress). The presidential election will follow in November 2028.
Unlike Perot, Musk hasn’t yet expressed any desire to run for president himself. This means he’ll either have to find a candidate to represent his party or eventually step into the role himself**. In either case, Musk will have to navigate growing resistance from both the GOP and the Democratic Party — neither of which will welcome a strong competitor onto the national stage.
The author, Maksim Minaev, Ph.D. in Political Science, is head of the Foreign Policy Research Department at the Center for Political Studies.
**Editor's note: Elon Musk would be ineligible to run for president as he was not born in the United States.
Elon Musk’s recent push to launch a new nationwide party — called the America Party — not only comes off as pretentious but also sets a fundamentally new trend in U.S. politics. For the first time since the mid-1990s, the idea of a strong third party is gaining traction as a potential challenge to the longstanding dominance of the Republican and Democratic parties. The last major effort in this vein came in 1995, when Ross Perot founded the Reform Party. Just a few years earlier, Perot had run a surprisingly strong presidential campaign as an independent candidate in 1992, finishing third behind Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, with 18.9% of the popular vote.
Musk and Perot have much in common, particularly in their political agendas and personal backgrounds. Both were outspoken about the dangers posed by the federal budget deficit and national debt and emphasized the need to reform the federal government. They also share a key similarity: neither came from within the political establishment. Instead, each is a prominent entrepreneur who entered the political arena from the business world, bringing with them an outsider's perspective.
Interestingly, Donald Trump has connections to both of these third-party figures. From 1999 to 2001, he was a member of the Reform Party, having briefly left the Republican Party before eventually returning. As for Musk, he was once closely aligned with key figures in the current Republican administration and was even considered part of Trump’s inner circle.
That said, the path forward for Musk’s America Party is far less clear than it was for Perot’s Reform Party. Perot’s party project was launched right after a strong presidential run and was largely tied to his subsequent, less successful bid for the White House. In contrast, Musk is proposing his idea during a political lull. The next major election in the U.S. is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026 (when voters will elect members to both chambers of Congress). The presidential election will follow in November 2028.
Unlike Perot, Musk hasn’t yet expressed any desire to run for president himself. This means he’ll either have to find a candidate to represent his party or eventually step into the role himself**. In either case, Musk will have to navigate growing resistance from both the GOP and the Democratic Party — neither of which will welcome a strong competitor onto the national stage.
The author, Maksim Minaev, Ph.D. in Political Science, is head of the Foreign Policy Research Department at the Center for Political Studies.
**Editor's note: Elon Musk would be ineligible to run for president as he was not born in the United States.
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