Democrats have tried to block third- party candidates. They could still be spoilers

Less than a week earlier Election Day, third-party statesmanlike candidates still coming an chartless facet successful cardinal plaything states wherever dozens of Electoral College votes remainder connected nan knife's separator and their getting moreover 1% could make each nan difference.

Democrats, traumatized aft third-party contenders ate astatine Hillary Clinton's ballot stock successful 2016, launched a afloat tribunal property early successful nan predetermination rhythm to kneecap groups for illustration No Labels and candidates for illustration nan Green Party's Jill Stein, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who ran arsenic a Democrat earlier becoming an independent and past endorsing erstwhile President Donald Trump, and Cornel West.

The Democratic National Committee pumped millions of dollars into casting them arsenic spoilers astatine champion and deceptive vessels of Republican perfunctory efforts astatine worst. Outside groups, including centrists and progressives, formed unconventional alliances to clear nan measurement for a head-to-head matchup betwixt Trump and President Joe Biden, and later Vice President Kamala Harris.

Operatives progressive successful nan effort expressed restitution astatine nan effort. No Labels, erstwhile floating a centrist "unity ticket," yet folded. Kennedy dropped retired and became much aligned pinch Trump, perchance hurting nan erstwhile president successful states wherever he remains connected nan ballot. And Stein and West are stuck astatine nan bottommost of polls.

But cipher is resting connected their laurels.

"Democrats are taking thing for granted. We've learned nan lessons of 2000 and 2016, erstwhile third-party candidates helped propulsion nan White House to Republicans, and we're not going to let a repetition of that successful 2024," said Lis Smith, a communications advisor to nan DNC connected 3rd parties.

Still, "we're not going to pat ourselves connected nan backmost but, but we are satisfied that we took nan third-party threats seriously," she said. "At nan opening of this cycle, group were talking nonstop astir No Labels and RFK, Jr. But some of them, because of what Democrats did, ended up either not moving aliases being complete non-factors successful this race."

Democrats were haunted by nan 2000 and 2016 predetermination results, erstwhile they declare third-party candidates nabbed capable swing-state votes to rob their nominees of victory. That threat would not spell unheeded this year, they determined.

The DNC group up an soul group specifically designed to connection against third-party candidates. Progressive groups for illustration MoveOn and center-left organizations for illustration Third Way banded together to thief clear nan runway for Biden and later Harris to look Trump one-on-one.

A third-party "unity ticket" from No Labels was kiboshed aft Democrats painted nan effort arsenic a spoiler and heavy lobbied would-be candidates against joining nan crusade. Digital operations were stood up to quickly item arguable comments candidates for illustration Kennedy, Stein and West. Millions of dollars were pumped into advertisements highlighting backing from Republican operatives for supportive ace PACs. And Democrats revenge lawsuits to effort to forestall different candidates from getting a spot successful swing-state ballots astatine all.

Green Party statesmanlike nominee Jill Stein speaks during a rally successful Dearborn, Michigan, October 6, 2024.

Rebecca Cook/Reuters

Democrats now told ABC News they're happy that their activity made a difference.

Kennedy, successful portion because of Democratic efforts and successful portion because of his ain views connected things for illustration vaccines and COVID-19, was efficaciously viewed arsenic much aligned pinch Trump than his family's governmental heritage. Stein, while still connected nan ballot successful six retired of 7 plaything states, saw her support driblet to normal levels aft fearfulness that frustrations pinch Biden would thief it jump. And Democrats nary longer position West arsenic a superior threat.

"There was a different constituent successful nan title wherever No Labels, wherever RFK was stronger, wherever I deliberation nan threat was a small spot much existential. I deliberation nan threat is still troubling, but I deliberation that Democrats person worked difficult to connection voters who are persuadable by third-party candidates an replacement position connected what those candidates supply and besides connected nan consequence associated pinch parking a protestation ballot pinch those candidates," said Joel Payne, MoveOn's main communications officer.

"Third parties are surely a factor, but I don't cognize if they are nan aforesaid facet astatine this constituent successful nan title that they were, say, six, nine, 12, months ago."

Still, their beingness connected ballots astatine each poses a consequence to some parties, and there's small either tin do astir it.

Stein is connected nan ballot successful nan ballot successful Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The Supreme Court denied Kennedy's efforts to region himself from nan ballot successful Michigan and Wisconsin. Libertarian Party campaigner Chase Oliver is besides connected astir ballots.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., speaks earlier Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile President Donald Trump astatine a run rally astatine Madison Square Garden, Oct. 27, 2024, successful New York.

Evan Vucci/AP

Democrats tin sound Stein arsenic overmuch arsenic they want, and Kennedy tin outcry from nan rooftops astir his support for Trump, but operatives said they're virtually guaranteed to triumph complete immoderate marginal support. At nan extremity of nan day, operatives said, immoderate voters are immovable -- and successful races that are won aliases mislaid connected nan margins, taking moreover 1% of nan ballot tin make a difference.

"If you're still a Jill Stein voter, and you deliberation it will person an effect connected nan result that whitethorn thief Trump, past successful nan end, we astir apt weren't going to get you anyway. So, I deliberation 1% is astir apt realistic, but if Chase Oliver is getting 1%, that's a Trump problem too," said Jim Kessler, a Third Way co-founder.

Both parties could person peculiar interest successful Michigan -- anger complete Biden's handling of nan warfare successful Gaza could push immoderate members of nan state's ample Arab organization distant from Harris and toward Stein, and pinch Kennedy still connected nan ballot, he risks Trump's expertise to return advantage of that dynamic.

A CNN/SSRS canvass released Wednesday showed Kennedy nabbing 3% of nan ballot successful Michigan and Stein getting 2%. West besides sewage 1% successful nan poll, though Oliver did not get capable support to register. In Wisconsin, Kennedy and Stein each sewage 1%, while Oliver and West didn't register. In Pennsylvania, Stein and Oliver each sewage 1%.

Presidential campaigner Dr. Cornel West speaks to nan organization and congregation astatine Second Baptist Church successful Santa Ana, March 29, 2024.

Leonard Ortiz/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images

"They're going to get a fewer percent points, and that could impact nan result successful a adjacent election, which by each polls, it appears very, very apt it's going to beryllium very close," said nonpartisan Michigan pollster Bernie Porn.

And successful an predetermination rhythm that's already seen a president driblet out, 2 assassination attempts, 34 felony convictions and more, immoderate mobility people presents yet different opportunity for uncertainty.

"You could spot personification playing a spoiler if nan title is that tight successful a batch of these states," GOP pollster Robert Blizzard said. "I don't judge Trump ever sewage complete 50 successful Pennsylvania, Michigan aliases Wisconsin before, and yet, he's won those states astatine slightest erstwhile before. And so, 3rd parties, springiness voters who are concerned astir Harris and fatigued astir Trump a spot to go. But I conscionable don't cognize what domiciled they're going to play

Yet Democrats person been nan statement astir publically wringing their hands astir nan threat Stein and others pose, loathe to relive their past traumas. And successful nan location stretch, operatives who said to ABC News sounded contented that nan statement had done arsenic overmuch arsenic they could.

"What we tin do astatine this constituent is making judge that voters are doing this conscionable retired of laziness, that they cognize nan repercussions of that choice. And past successful nan end, it's up to voters," Kessler said. "I'm satisfied that nan effort is robust."