Hypothetical situation: Running for office.

[Onionsoilder]

Lets say you and two other people were running for a position in some organization. Approximately 30% of the organization supports you, while 40% supports Candidate X and the remaining 30% support Candidate Y.
Candidate X holds very different views from you and supports many things you are not in favor of. Candidate Y shares some views with you, but has others views not in line with your own.

If you where to withdraw from the candidacy and endorse Candidate Y, they would gain approximately 25% of your supporters, while Candidate X would gain the other 5%. This would put Candidate Y in the lead, running 55% to 45%, a good lead but still nothing guaranteed.

Given that you favor Candidate Y over Candidate X, what would you do in this situation?

 

[Dachs]

Launch a military coup.

 

[.Shane.]

What would I do 50% of the time or 25% of the time? Because 67% of the time I be 25% likely to do what I would prefer to do in the other 50% of the time. For shizzle.

 

[Cutlass]

It's a little more complex than that. But why not get Y to withdraw and support you? Promise Y some moderation in your disagreements with him. Make him an adviser or a vice something or other.

 

[potatokiosk]

My top priority is getting the policies I want, not my personal gain, so I would withdraw and endorse the candidate I agree with most.

 

[WICKLC1]

My top priority is gaining power and influence.

 

[Mirc]

Can't I make a coalition with candidate Y?

 

[Camikaze]

Are we working on two-party preferred with preferencing, or plain old highest vote wins?

 

[Defiant47]

Can't I make a coalition with candidate Y?

OMG undemocratic!!!

 

[Miles Teg]

From the slim information in the OP, I have at least nominal parity with Candidate Y. That means my surrender to him is not necessarily the best option to get my policies passed.

The first step is to establish the actual level of parity. That means a side by side comparison of our respective strengths and weaknesses as a candidate, and an analysis of both other candidates voter blocks to tell me why they support their Candidate over me, and what their second choice would be.

With that information in hand, it's time to make a decision. If I can potentially swing around more of his base than he can swing of mine, it's time to start making a deal to get him to forfeit. If not, I'll have to try and do the same thing in reverse.

The lowest concession I can offer Candidate Y would be vague promises, followed by more specific promises, probably on one particular pet issue of his. If that doesn't work, I'll have to offer him a job. That job's perk may be a pay raise, a public office that gives him time in the spotlight, or control over an aforementioned pet issue. Preferably not the second one. If that doesn't work, we need to get into discussions of possibly making him Vice-whatever, or some form of coalition government. Painful, so I might not accept that if he's too far away from me in policy and ideology.

 

[Kerozine]

Lets say you and two other people were running for a position in some organization. Approximately 30% of the organization supports you, while 40% supports Candidate X and the remaining 30% support Candidate Y.
Candidate X holds very different views from you and supports many things you are not in favor of. Candidate Y shares some views with you, but has others views not in line with your own.

If you where to withdraw from the candidacy and endorse Candidate Y, they would gain approximately 25% of your supporters, while Candidate X would gain the other 5%. This would put Candidate Y in the lead, running 55% to 45%, a good lead but still nothing guaranteed.

Given that you favor Candidate Y over Candidate X, what would you do in this situation?

Math doesn't add up.

 

[Miles Teg]

I believe he means that Candidate Y would gain 25% of the total electorate, while Candidate X would gain 5% of the total electorate.

 

[Perfection]

It's pretty obvious what he meant.

I would say yes, but I would like to add that in any real election these percentages aren't readily knowable.

 

[StarWorms]

Wait for candidate Y to withdraw and support me

 

[CCRunner]

It's a little more complex than that. But why not get Y to withdraw and support you? Promise Y some moderation in your disagreements with him. Make him an adviser or a vice something or other.

This sounds like a good idea. I'd do that.

 

[classical_hero]

First I need to get fit.

 

[Kerozine]

I believe he means that Candidate Y would gain 25% of the total electorate, while Candidate X would gain 5% of the total electorate.

Oh, ok.

Well then the smart thing to do would be to drop out.

Spoiler :