Donald Trump says a third-party candidate could beat President Barack Obama in 2012 and he again does not rule out being that contender. The real estate mogul also told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren Wednesday he does not think a Republican candidate can beat Obama if a third-party candidate enters the presidential race.
“People want me to run — they want me to run as a Republican — they want me to run as an independent. This has been going on for a long time,” Trump said. “I would consider it if the country keeps going the way it’s going and if the Republicans pick the wrong person, which is a possibility.”
Van Susteren asked Trump whether a third-party candidate would not just siphon votes away from the GOP nominee and bolster Obama’s re-election chances.
“No, I don’t think so at all. I think if it’s the right person — very high-profile, somebody respected that built, perhaps a great, great business, which I have, in my case,” Trump said. “I really think a third-party candidate can win — I think the Republicans would not win . . . I think a third-party candidate would win. I think, in my case, I could take a lot of votes from Obama.
“But it’s a very interesting process that is going on with [a] third party. Look, the Republicans are disliked by everybody — the Democrats are disliked by everybody,” he said. “The right third-party candidate could come in — in my opinion — and win. I do think if it’s somebody like me, or the people they mentioned, I think it would mean the Republicans can’t win . . . but a third-party candidate can.”
Read more on Newsmax.com: Trump: A Third-Party Candidate Can Beat Obama
