OK I'll accept your premise even though I think you are wildly optimistic because Perot had essentially unlimited financing which the TP won't come close to.
The R party does about 50% nationally on the popular vote. So the election would split 50/25/25.
The bottom line for a GOP Presidental candidate is don’t lie to your base
and u won’t have to worry about a third party candidate picking off enough
to cost the GOP an election.
Perot got his opening from Bush’s lie about not raising taxes.
Not sure how you can call Perot's financing "unlimited". He spent less than his opponents.
The R party does about 50% nationally on the popular vote. So the election would split 50/25/25.
I disagree. I think the Tea Party message, if it gets out and takes on the media spin firmly, would draw a LARGE portion of the 30% of registered who do NOT vote, AND a decent proportion of the 35% of eligible voters who do not even register to vote.
LESS government intervention, LOWER taxes for all, fiscal responsibility, and Equal Liberty for all... ALL of those resonate very well with those on the Left and Right and moderates AND non-voters. I think it gets back to a dead heat with the Taker Party within a single election.