The 12th Amendment only allows the House of Representatives to choose from “the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President.”
That is the basis for the McMullin campaign in Utah. If he could win one state, he would be the third potential candidate if the House of Representatives where to choose the President.
Everyone always talks about this procedure “if there is a tie,” because no third party candidate has won any electoral votes since George Wallace in 1968. Richard Nixon had more than 270 electoral votes, so it did not go to the House that year.
Ahh... Thanks for the info. I didn’t know that.