1/6 Kanye West’s quixotic presidential run as the candidate of the Birthday Party puts him in a long tradition of colorful - and sometimes viable - 3rd party candidates in American politics. #LessonsFromHistory. 
2/6 Some appeal to voters on single issues. In 1968 George Wallace had a segregationist platform, and won 13% of the vote. Billionaire Ross Perot ran twice in the 90s, focused on the ballooning deficit, and took part in presidential debates.
3/6 It's difficult for so-called “fringe parties” to get on state ballots but they are a fixture in American politics. The Prohibition Party has run anti-alcohol candidates since 1872, including one this year with the slogan “Let’s Make 2020 Wonderful.”
4/6 The first woman to run for president was Victoria Woodhull in 1872, from the Equal Rights Party. She called for suffrage, communal child-raising and “free love” marriage. Norman Thomas was the Socialist Party candidate in six straight elections starting in 1928.
5/6 Do 3rd party candidates sway elections? George H.W. Bush thought Perot cost him re-election in ‘92. Some think Ralph Nader's run in 2000 was a factor in sending the Gore vs. Bush race to the Supreme Court. The backstory from @RetroReport retroreport.org/video/after-bu…
6/6 Kanye’s Birthday Party has plenty of company in 2020. Other presidential candidates include those from the Transhumanist Party, the Constitution Party, the Legal Marijuana Party, the Bread and Roses Party and more than 1000 others.
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