I think not. A third-party candidate who is presented as a "reasonable" (non-scary) outsider would draw votes from Trump, not from Hillary. Such a candidate could draw just enough votes from Trump to throw the election to Hillary. And that's their goal anyway.
Nobody wants to be the next John Anderson.
Republican congressman 1961-1981.
Ran for the GOP nomination in 1980; did not win.
Ran as 3rd party candidate against Reagan in 1980. It ended his political career.
The GOP establishment (which included Kristol’s dad Irving Kriostol) pulled the same stunt against Reagan that Bill Kristol is trying today. They promised Anderson the moon if he would run 3rd party and split the Republican vote (and thus elect Carter to a 2nd term).
Instead of getting the Moon, Anderson’s political career was destroyed. The promised senate seat never happened, as Anderson came to be viewed as a traitor to the party by the rank and file.
I don’t think enough people will bite onthis for it to work. Every one know the stakes are high. All will know that voting 3rd party will be throwing their vote away. Trump will roll. He will get many of the Bernie voters. Kristol and his I’ll are boxed in. They can’t do anything about it.
I don't believe that would be the case.
No voter will be able to discern the difference between whomever the NeoCons put up and Hillary her own self.
On all the important issues of the day: Trade, Immigration, War and the Supreme Court...they are in perfect agreement.
This would split the Hillary Vote, but the neoCons are too invested to see it.