Texas middle school math teacher Dustin Ebey is running for the 2024 presidential election to give voters another option besides the two nominees.
What Happened: Ebey’s unique spin on the race is to legally change his name to "Literally Anybody Else.”
The move is in response to the contingent of registered voters who express preference for “anybody else” besides President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
For example, a recent Morning Consult poll found Biden and Trump tied for support among registered voters. Each candidate got 43% of the vote. The remaining voters selected "Someone Else" or "Don't Know."
Local news station WFAA highlighted Ebey's unique candidacy and name change, which included the teacher’s campaigning for votes outside a Dallas Stars hockey game.
Ebey, a 35-year-old U.S. Army veteran, had a local judge sign off on the name change. He also has a driver's license that shows the name change.
"This isn't about me ‘Literally Anybody Else' more so as it is an idea. We can do better out of 300 million people for president," Mr. Else told WFAA.
According to the report, Mr. Else filed with the Federal Election Committee. He must now collect the required signatures to be on the Texas November ballot as an independent candidate.
"I'm not delusional. This will be very hard to do, but it's not impossible. My hope is to have Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and then Literally Anybody Else right underneath."
Mr. Else said he wants there to be another option for people sick of the "constant power grab between two parties."
"People are voting for the lesser of two evils, not someone they actually believe in or support. People should have the option to vote for someone who resembles and represents them, not the lesser of two evils. I reject that."
Else considers himself a centrist when it comes to his political ideology, with support for items favored by both the right and the left of the political spectrum.
The math teacher told the news outlet that his students use his legal name when referring to him, and that he may change his name back if his political movement doesn't take off.
"If you want to accomplish something no one ever has — you have to do something no one's ever done."
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Why It's Important: Mr. Else’s efforts underscore voter dissatisfaction with both Biden and Trump.
Recent Emerson College polls of voters in swing states show a close race between Biden and Trump, while undecided voters expressed a preference for a third-party candidate.
Another poll of Democratic voters saw strong support for a new candidate being picked other than Biden.
And Associated Press surveys showed that a substantial portion of Republican primary and caucus voters were dissatisfied with Trump as the GOP's presidential nominee
Stil, Mr. Else faces the tough task of gaining enough signatures to get on the Texas ballot and would need to do the same in other states, making it a tough task to make his voice heard nationally.
The candidate said he's open to debating the leading candidates, while it is highly unlikely such an event would happen.
"I would love to get up on the debate stage and bring some reality to what's happening. I'm there because both of them aren't enough." Mr. Else said.
While Mr. Else's movement won't likely gain steam or lead to a place in the White House, the movement combined with a strong showing for a third-party candidate like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the 2024 election shows how voters are perhaps ready for more political party options than just Republican and Democrat.
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