Rob Schmitz

Okay, what is that?

Okay, what is that?

Okay, what is that?

Merry Christmas to me. That is NPR's Alina Selyuk. Alina, thank you.

Merry Christmas to me. That is NPR's Alina Selyuk. Alina, thank you.

Merry Christmas to me. That is NPR's Alina Selyuk. Alina, thank you.

President-elect Donald Trump has run for president in the past three elections, and in 2024, third-party presidential candidates got fewer votes than at any other point in the Trump era of presidential politics. This is despite widespread dissatisfaction with Republican and Democratic nominees for much of the campaign cycle.

President-elect Donald Trump has run for president in the past three elections, and in 2024, third-party presidential candidates got fewer votes than at any other point in the Trump era of presidential politics. This is despite widespread dissatisfaction with Republican and Democratic nominees for much of the campaign cycle.

President-elect Donald Trump has run for president in the past three elections, and in 2024, third-party presidential candidates got fewer votes than at any other point in the Trump era of presidential politics. This is despite widespread dissatisfaction with Republican and Democratic nominees for much of the campaign cycle.

NPR's Stephen Fowler has been covering third parties this year for us, and he reports Donald Trump himself is actually a big reason for that decline. Good morning, Stephen. Good morning. So Trump won the popular vote but did not clear 50%. How many votes did third-party campaigns earn in this election cycle?

NPR's Stephen Fowler has been covering third parties this year for us, and he reports Donald Trump himself is actually a big reason for that decline. Good morning, Stephen. Good morning. So Trump won the popular vote but did not clear 50%. How many votes did third-party campaigns earn in this election cycle?

NPR's Stephen Fowler has been covering third parties this year for us, and he reports Donald Trump himself is actually a big reason for that decline. Good morning, Stephen. Good morning. So Trump won the popular vote but did not clear 50%. How many votes did third-party campaigns earn in this election cycle?

Wow. So that's a sharp decline since 2016 when the Libertarian Party earned 3% of the vote. What happened there?

Wow. So that's a sharp decline since 2016 when the Libertarian Party earned 3% of the vote. What happened there?

Wow. So that's a sharp decline since 2016 when the Libertarian Party earned 3% of the vote. What happened there?

Hmm. I mean, so far, there are no libertarians in Trump's next cabinet, but there is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's been tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Is his appointment a victory for voters interested in third party options moving forward?

Hmm. I mean, so far, there are no libertarians in Trump's next cabinet, but there is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's been tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Is his appointment a victory for voters interested in third party options moving forward?

Hmm. I mean, so far, there are no libertarians in Trump's next cabinet, but there is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who's been tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Is his appointment a victory for voters interested in third party options moving forward?

That is NPR's Stephen Fowler in Atlanta. Stephen, thank you.

That is NPR's Stephen Fowler in Atlanta. Stephen, thank you.