# ...who do you vote for in a three-way race?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [February 17, 2020, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086 "2020-02-17T21:02:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/21 "2020-02-18T07:12:28Z")

</div>

I read the poll conditions too quickly and selected Bloomberg, only to later realize that in the hypothetical, he’s an independent and my vote would be wasted, and it should have gone to Sanders, the Democratic nominee.

Of course, not being American, I won’t be participating for realsies.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/22 "2020-02-18T07:31:26Z")

</div>

I prefer Mike over Bernie, and I prefer a small soap dish over small hands. I’ll vote for anyone with the Dem nomination as I belive that is the best opportunity to take out Donnie two scoops.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/23 "2020-02-18T08:13:51Z")

</div>

If Bloomberg goes all in  
Without a Dem Nom Win  
And then he goes Indy  
He gives win to Trumpy

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![phantom\_lamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@phantom\_lamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phantom_lamb)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/24 "2020-02-18T15:53:12Z")

</div>

> [@Velocity](#):
>
> Interesting. Nearly one-quarter of Dopers in the poll say they’d go for Bloomberg.

OP should have named the poll choices

(Republican) Donald Trump  
(Democrat) Bernie Sanders  
(Independent) Mike Bloomberg

Seems some people voted too soon

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![carol235](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@carol235](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carol235)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/25 "2020-02-18T17:15:25Z")

</div>

I also voted too soon, not realizing Bloomberg was Independent candidate. I will vote for who ever the Democratic candidate is and will not vote third party. My vote in the poll should be for Sanders, unless Bloomberg is the actual Democratic candidate.

We MUST get Trump out of the White House. Hope the party can come together and get firmly behind one candidate.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/26 "2020-02-18T19:10:37Z")

</div>

Hasn’t Bloomberg already ruled out this scenario?

> **[Michael Bloomberg says he'll spend $1 billion to defeat Trump, even if it...](https://www.businessinsider.com/bloomberg-defeat-trump-support-sanders-warren-2020-1)**
>
> Michael Bloomberg suggested Saturday he was open to spending $1 billion of his own money to defeat President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

His whole shtick has been pointing out what a trumpster fire the current president is, so why would he do the one thing that would give the most support to a Trump reelection?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RickG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rickg/32/5174_2.png) [@RickG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickG)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/27 "2020-02-18T20:34:10Z")

</div>

> [@Procrustus](#):
>
> Whoever gets the Democratic nomination gets my vote. Period. I probably won’t vote for Bernie in the primary, but I’m “Bernie all the way” if he wins the nomination.

+1000

Of the current top 5 in the Democratic primary (Bloomberg excluded, since he hasn’t competed yet), Sanders and Biden are at the bottom of my list. But I’ll vote for any of them to get Trump out of office. Without ranked-choice voting, third party/independent candidates can’t be anything but spoilers. And the fallback if there’s no EC majority is one vote per state delegation in the House, which gives Republicans a massive advantage (currently, only 23 state delegations are majority D).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/28 "2020-02-18T20:42:55Z")

</div>

Don’t know. I won’t vote for Sanders, and I would vote for Trump to keep Bernie out of the White House. But who I’d vote _for_, I haven’t made up my mind.

Regards,  
Shodan

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/29 "2020-02-18T20:45:39Z")

</div>

> [@phantom\_lamb](#):
>
> OP should have named the poll choices
> 
> (Republican) Donald Trump  
> (Democrat) Bernie Sanders  
> (Independent) Mike Bloomberg
> 
> Seems some people voted too soon

Yeah I think when it came down to it even the general electorate, less left leaning than the SDMB ‘electorate’ would be unlikely to give Bloomberg as Independent as much as Perot’s peak % in 1992, \<20%. The positions Bloomberg is staking out now are within the Democratic Party mainstream, though particular Democrats are allowed not to agree with them, and/or question Bloomberg’s motives, past positions, character, use of his own money…anything they’d like to question.

But third party has any remote chance of winning only if it’s got a genuinely different take on really key issue(s) than D/R. Perot in '92 was distinct in sense of populist (including anti-trade) traditionalist/rightist positions different from GOP then (part of what Trump later planted in the GOP). But it was still too close to two Republicans v. a Democrat: Democrat wins. Bloomberg in 2020 general as independent is basically two Democrats v a Republican, Republican wins. I think Bloomberg understands that even if there are some people who don’t. And there are lots of easier ways to help Trump if that’s what he actually wanted to do.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/30 "2020-02-18T21:58:37Z")

</div>

The scenario that would really make it tough for me is if Bloomberg gets the D nomination, and Warren somehow decided to run 3rd party with Booker or Castro as VP. The likelihood of that happening is about the same as hell freezing over, but man that would be a rough choice. Seems like enough anti-Bloomberg democrats are out there to make that a viable 3rd party choice, doesn’t it? I suppose for Bernie people, it would be the same as if Bernie ran as an Independent, which seems much more likely. In that case, I’d have to weigh where the most public support is and vote accordingly. #1 priority is beating Trump. If the independent choice of Bernie, or my Warren/Booker dream ticket is more likely to do that, then that’s where my vote goes. If Bloomberg-D is most likely to win, then my vote goes there.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/31 "2020-02-18T22:53:31Z")

</div>

Sanders. I don’t think he can beat Trump, but I’ll vote for the Democratic nominee because that’s the person with the best shot. And I hope to God there IS no third party candidate.

I really wish Bloomberg would bow out of the race but continue his multi-squillion dollar campaign to discredit Trump.

And I really, REALLY wish the Dems had a better slate of candidates to choose from. Still puzzled as to why they don’t.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2020, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/32 "2020-02-19T00:06:32Z")

</div>

Ooops! didn’t read the question before I voted. I thought it was just an order of preference vote, not linked to a particular election scenario. Please consider one Bloomberg vote to be moved to Sanders. This isn’t an election that I can afford to waste my vote on an independent.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2020, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/33 "2020-02-19T00:08:21Z")

</div>

> [@nelliebly](#):
>
> And I really, REALLY wish the Dems had a better slate of candidates to choose from. Still puzzled as to why they don’t.

Which Democratic candidate(s) would be better, that aren’t running yet?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2020, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/34 "2020-02-22T04:57:08Z")

</div>

> [@Velocity](#):
>
> Which Democratic candidate(s) would be better, that aren’t running yet?

I’d like to see Tammy Duckworth run.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2020, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/35 "2020-02-22T13:17:16Z")

</div>

> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> I’d like to see Tammy Duckworth run.

Or even Tammy Baldwin.

Heck, Tammy and Tammy!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/36 "2020-02-24T14:49:04Z")

</div>

Bloomberg, with some reluctance.

Trump must go, to save the republic. Sanders just had his first heart attack, has been actively hostile to the Democratic Party in the past, and temperamentally and philosophically will be able to accomplish very little with Republicans in Congress. Bloomberg got some good things done in NYC, has been very strong on gun safety and climate change, and has executive experience. I remain troubled by his support of stop-and-frisk, redlining, the toxic-masculinity culture of his company and those NDAs.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/37 "2020-02-24T14:53:11Z")

</div>

> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> Bloomberg, with some reluctance.
> 
> Trump must go, to save the republic. Sanders just had his first heart attack, has been actively hostile to the Democratic Party in the past, and temperamentally and philosophically will be able to accomplish very little with Republicans in Congress. Bloomberg got some good things done in NYC, has been very strong on gun safety and climate change, and has executive experience. I remain troubled by his support of stop-and-frisk, redlining, the toxic-masculinity culture of his company and those NDAs.

:eek:

You’d really vote for a 3rd party run by Bloomberg over the Democratic nominee, if it’s Sanders?

I can understand preferring Bloomberg to Sanders for the nomination. I can’t understand voting for a 3rd party over the Democratic nominee, if one’s primary goal is defeating Trump.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/38 "2020-02-24T15:12:05Z")

</div>

Hence my reluctance. Given Sanders’s baggage, and Bloomberg’s billions, I think Bloomberg just might beat him, and he would then be a better President.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/39 "2020-02-24T15:34:21Z")

</div>

> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> Hence my reluctance. Given Sanders’s baggage, and Bloomberg’s billions, I think Bloomberg just might beat him, and he would then be a better President.

Then I think we could be in big trouble. Of all the possible scenarios, I thought “vote for the Democratic nominee and not the 3rd party candidate” was the most obvious in the “how to beat Trump” manual. It’s troubling to me that some Democrats apparently aren’t on the same page. I think you should reconsider. Bernie really might possibly win, but not if a bunch of Democrats don’t vote for him. I don’t think there’s any possibility a 3rd party candidate wins – they can only sink the Democrat.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086/40 "2020-02-24T15:57:13Z")

</div>

Sure a third party could win. We’re all just taking wild guesses, remember!

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086.md?page=1)

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-do-you-vote-for-in-a-three-way-race/848086.md?page=3)