[gcruse]

A third-party vote may not be wasted, but it can be stupid. Ross Perot is an example.

Yes, it was stupid.  It was stupid of George HW Bush to think his 90 rating for handling Desert Storm would offset a lackluster campaign and violation of his promise to not raise taxes.  I am among those who jumped to Perot because of Bush's arrogance.  His thinking he could blow off third-party voters along with the tax-aggrieved piece of his base was stupid.

[No_Outcome_But_Victory]

I am among those who jumped to Perot

Perot was a special case in that he got enough dissatisfied voters from both parties, as well as those that didn't vote too often.

I am unclear about the message the Republicans got from it. It was only 2 years later that the party retook the house after 40 years.