I have seen similar studies (you should have included the link to the one you cite) and those numbers look about right. And the conclusions are probably close. I mean it seems kinda obvious if you are a liberal leaning independent you would vote for a Democrat/Republican ... since a Democrat/Republican probably supports your political ideals. I don't think it took a survey to figure that out.

I listened to some author today who claimed an Independent could win a presidential. This guy is clearly delusional or way ahead of his time.

Can you imagine the scenario if in a 3 party race the votes came out without a clear winner. It goes to the House and guess what, unless third party candidates had won enough seats in Congress, the vote would go along party lines and the House could elect a president who did not get a majority of popular votes nor the required electoral college votes. Sounds l like the SC electing a president ... o that already happened. Of course even if a third party had enough congressmen, based on a number of studies they would lean either left or right anyway.

So the question is, is there a legitimate third party platform which is neither left nor right???

ignorance is the enemy
without equality there is no liberty
America can survive bad policy, but not destruction of our Democratic institutions