U.S. Elections: Expert hints at ‘October Surprise,’ Third Party candidate

OWN CORRESPONDENT

 

An American elections expert says candidates and political parties in the U.S. are wary about the October Surprise and a Third-Party candidate was likely in the forthcoming U.S. elections.

 

“We have a thing that we always call the “October surprise”- right before the election,” noted Moses Mercado- an example of a Big October Surprise when Senator Clinton then the FBI Director decided that they were going to look into her emails one more time. Many believe that caused her to lose some votes.” We don’t know what it could be…a video of Trump saying things that were considered inappropriate. The uncertainty that something may come up.

 

Mercado was speaking at a dialogue session about U.S. election where he shared his views about the “Behind the Scenes of a Political Campaign” organized by the United States Embassy.

 

“The third party individual running saying these two candidates are too old…this time we have Robert Kennedy Junior who has qualified in some States to be on the ballot…it was determined at first that he will take votes from President Biden but now the polls show that he will take votes from both candidates,” said Mercado noting that both Democratic Party and Republican Party are not happy about the third candidate. “The big question is will he be part of the debates that are coming out very soon,” said Mercado.

 

U.S. Election Day is Tuesday, November 5 this year.  Former President Donald Trump is the overwhelming polling leader for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, even as he faces four criminal indictments. On the Democratic side, President Biden is seeking reelection. Mercado admitted that a third-party candidate like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is a longshot but could sway a close general election matchup.

 

Mercardo is described as an accomplished political organizer who has designed and executed winning strategic plans for political leaders including President Barack Obama, Secretary John Kerry, Democratic National Committee Chairman Governor Howard Dean, General Wesley Clark, and House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt. In late 2019, at a small meeting with Vice President Biden in San Antonio, Texas, Moses, and Joe Biden discussed the challenges facing the Democratic Party in the 2020 general election.

 

Mercado shared details about how political parties in the U.S. target and focus their campaigns during elections; funding for election campaigns as well as campaign issues such as the economy, abortion and immigration.

 

Larry Socha, Public Affairs Officer said the discussion was meant to promote understanding about the United States election process. “As many countries around the world struggle on some of the fundamentals of democracy, elections are always an opportunity to underscore our commitment to, programs and policies on, democracy,” said Socha.

Related