Bernard Tamas

| Professor of Politics | Dad & Husband | Author of book on US Third Parties (he/him)

[Scholars Strategy Network (bsky: @scholars.org) @SSNScholars]

In this @BulwarkOnline piece, @bdtamas (Valdosta State) argues third parties matter not because they win elections but because they can force major parties to change course, and that the Libertarian Party can play that role against today's GOP.

🔗Read:
https://t.co/aSQXP43uvy

[The Bulwark @BulwarkOnline]

Third parties are grassroots organizations built on enthusiastic membership, and decentralization leaves them vulnerable to hostile takeovers.

Bernard Tamas on the Libertarian Party's turn towards, and away, from Trump:
https://t.co/FH9C3tB9MJ

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

@jacksantucci @laderafrutal I haven’t tested it, but that could very well be possible. And I do also think there could be other benefits to fusion (like the WFP using it to lobby the Dems) — but as a route to multiparty democracy, it’s a dead end

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

@laderafrutal Exactly. My research shows fusion does nothing to strengthen 3rd parties. If anything, historically it has undermined 3rd party challenges to the 2 major parties https://t.co/naJt32vLCd

[Scholars Strategy Network (bsky: @scholars.org) @SSNScholars]

Democracy is under strain. What role could third parties play in strengthening it?

Join the 3rd webinar in Georgia SSN's “Defending U.S. Democracy” series with @bdtamas tomorrow at 4pm ET!

Register & join: https://t.co/fmUaNG7BrT

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

It remains to be seen if the "America Party" is merely a spur of the moment announcement, or will on-again-off-again-"first buddy" @elonmusk build enough of an organization to gain ballot access? https://t.co/WNBhCxiM8A #thirdparties #elonmusk

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

(With ABC/Australia) I'm not currently convinced that #ElonMusk is serious about mounting a 3rd party challenge. It could, however, change & this is what to look for: Is he making an organized & visible effort to get on the ballot in all, or a few, states?https://t.co/4RLGxXR7zv

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

My interview today on SiriusXM's "The Dan Abrams Show": How Elon Musk's third party could succeed, and what might cause it to fail https://t.co/LrWb9zvAou (subscription to SiriusXM is required) #USthirdparties #elonmusk #theamericaparty

[The Dan Abrams Show @DanAbramsSXM]

2pm ET TODAY: Elon Musk's Third Party. How would this even work? What procedural steps would #Musk need to do to get this rolling? @JessecordWeber is hosting for @DanAbrams and will discuss!

Would YOU vote for 'America Party'?

Call in 866-967-6887

🔊@SiriusXM Ch. 124🔊

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

@elonmusk Speaking strictly as a 3rd party expert, if @elonmusk's goal is to beat both major parties & win seats, then even this "laser-focus" is likely to fail. The history of US 3rd parties is that they disrupt, but rarely win elections. That disruption can however produce a MAJOR impact

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

Therein also lies a fundamental dilemma for any 3rd party led by Musk. How does he distinguish his party's agenda from the GOP's? If the GOP loses voters owing to Medicare cuts, those voters aren't likely to flock to a billionaire who has called social security a "Ponzi scheme"

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

@DeutscheWelle interviewed me for their article on Elon Musk's on-again, off-again, third-party ambitions: https://t.co/zE4uoL31HB #thirdparty #ElonMusk

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

Current GOP is more like a movement-unified & moving to the extreme. Current Dems are more a coalition of interest groups. This makes GOP an easier target for a moderate 3rd party to attack. Bigger-tent Ds are harder for a 3rd party to challenge (e.g. Greens vs Dem-Progressives)

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

https://t.co/tFeIK9fOCY

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

Rarely post here anymore, but this bluesky post highlighted my conversation w/@dansally back in 2020, which described a lot of what we're witnessing right now (esp. the last 12 mins). A 3rd party challenge against MAGA is needed at the congressional level https://t.co/5WCZgFGNzi

[Electoral Integrity Project @ElectIntegrity]

Meet Dr. Bernard Tamas (@bdtamas), Professor of Political Science at @valdostastate and 2025 EIP Senior Fellow! His project, Electoral Bias and the Threat of Democratic Backsliding, examines how electoral bias shapes party systems and impacts democracy worldwide.

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

Besides the potential impact of 3rd party votes in an election with tight margins, might we also see a "Nikki Haley voter" effect? Brief quotes from me in this Guardian piece, which also carries a good analysis of strategic voting for 3rd parties when it comes to the Gaza crisis

[Francisco Taveira @jftaveira1993]

“The vote right now is so close that a small amount of tipping in one direction or another could swing it,” said @bdtamas. https://t.co/C2QA8DSSpC #UnitedStates

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

Our amazing team at the Georgia Chapter of @SSNScholars co-organized this timely, bipartisan event on "Election Protection in Georgia"

YouTube video segments of the main discussions are here: https://t.co/Mm3Gvhylsc

Speakers included @GabrielSterling @jlynnmccoy #USElection2024

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

https://t.co/07bgbJBpWc
"Safeguarding our Democracy: A Bipartisan Discussion on Election Protection in Georgia".
----
Please attend and/or spread the word about this event on the work being done to ensure a free and fair election (co-sponsored by @SSNScholars's Georgia chapter)

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

@GaryWMorehead Video segments from this event are posted on YouTube: https://t.co/Mm3GvhyThK

Additional reporting on the event can be found here: https://t.co/gplukMDBRv

[Bernard Tamas @bdtamas]

https://t.co/07bgbJBpWc
"Safeguarding our Democracy: A Bipartisan Discussion on Election Protection in Georgia".
----
Please attend and/or spread the word about this event on the work being done to ensure a free and fair election (co-sponsored by @SSNScholars's Georgia chapter)

[Scholars Strategy Network (bsky: @scholars.org) @SSNScholars]

For a full list of over a dozen experts in crucial swing states, visit https://t.co/LOy9MTONYd

[Scholars Strategy Network (bsky: @scholars.org) @SSNScholars]

📢#2024Election Swing states like Georgia are in the political and policy spotlight. Reporters covering voting, state politics, and key election issues in Georgia can connect with these four experts for insights and analysis.

➡️Connect: https://t.co/E3nJBD2hLV