Green Party candidate Jill Stein is polling around 1 percent–obviously nowhere near enough to win an election, but enough to alter a tight race. Democrats are losing sleep over the fact that Stein’s small numbers could be enough to strip the presidency from Kamala Harris.

While Harris is favored in recent polls, the margins are tiny. The New York Times reports that “all seven swing states are within just a point or two.” Democrats are rightfully concerned because, historically, third-party candidates pull votes away from the Democratic nominee. Just ask Hillary Clinton.
In 2016, Gary Johnson ran as a third-party Libertarian with a record-setting third-party campaign. In the key state of Michigan, Johnson attained 172,136 votes. Clinton lost Michigan narrowly by a minimal 10,704 votes to Donald Trump. If Johnson was removed from the 2016 election, it is likely Clinton would’ve won Michigan.

The same can be said about Arizona, another must-win state. Clinton lost by 91,234 votes. Johnson earned 106,327 votes.

In Pennsylvania, Johnson persuaded 146,715 voters to cast his name. Clinton lost Pennsylvania to Trump by 44,292 ballots.

How about Wisconsin? Clinton lost by a mere 22,748 votes, while Johnson received 106,674 votes.

Clinton won the popular vote in 2016, but narrowly lost four of the seven key swing states. Had Johnson not run as a third-party candidate, the Trump presidency may have never happened.

Democrats are rightfully fretful that Stein will spoil Harris this election just as Johnson did Clinton in 2016.