Green Party candidate files to join U.S. Senate race

Wow, so surprising they would pick one of the most hotly contested senate races in the country with a vulnerable incumbent Democrat. Total coincidence I'm sure, and not at all an effort to help the Republican.

The green party cares about the environment man.

It's just that it's the political environment. Fucking trash.

There's a bit of a history of the Republicans in Montana funding the Green Party to serve as spoilers.

The way first-past-the-post elections work makes this pretty much inevitable.

Let's look at 3 scenarios:

Scenario 1:

• Tester (D) 1001 votes
• Sheehey R) 1000 votes
• Green Party: 0 votes

Tester wins

Scenario 2:

• Tester (D) 1000 votes
• Sheehey R) 1000 votes
• Green Party: 1 vote

Tie between Tester and Sheehey, forcing a special election (Montana rules; other states use games of chance)

Scenario 3:

• Tester (D) 999 votes
• Sheehey R) 1000 votes
• Green Party: 2 votes

Sheehey wins

This means that voting for a minor third party instead of the Democrat actively harms the ability to elect somebody who is better-aligned with your views.

Vote your heart in the primary. Vote strategically in the general.