What is the difference between a political party and an independent candidate?

A political party is a set of people who share similar views on issues, who support a certain candidate, or who are members of a political organization. A political party is typically organized around a core set of ideals or beliefs and often develops a platform that outlines its positions on various issues and sets of policies. Political parties participate in elections to put forth candidates that represent their views in order to try and win office. An independent candidate is a person who runs for office outside of any political party. Independent candidates can be known as "third-party" candidates, as they do not belong to either the Democratic or Republican Party. These candidates often challenge the traditional two-party system by introducing new ideas, policies, and platforms to the election. The main difference between a political party and an independent candidate is that a political party is more organized and unified in its platform and ideology, whereas an independent candidate often does not have a unified platform and may have more varied views on different issues. Additionally, political parties often have more resources and support when it comes to fundraising and organizing campaigns. Conversely, independent candidates often have to rely on personal resources and support networks to help with their campaign.

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