A scion of the famed Kennedy family. A Green Party activist. A self-proclaimed "armed and gay" libertarian. The US presidential election is toss-up between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump. However, the two-party system still left room this year for three fringe players who could yet influence the ultra-tight election.

LEFTISTS JILL STEIN, CORNEL WEST

Jill Stein, 74, ran for president as the Green Party candidate in 2012 and then in 2016, winning just 0.4 percent and one percent respectively.

This time, the Chicago-born physician and environmental activist will be on the ballot in nearly 40 states, presenting a headache for the Democrats as she could peel off a crucial handful of votes from Harris in contests where she is neck and neck against Trump.

Cornel West, another candidate from the green camp, chose to run independently of the Green Party. The 71-year-old academic and anti-racism activist who calls Biden a "war criminal" and describes Trump as a "neofascist" will be on the ballot in nearly a dozen states. He too will siphon a tiny, but potentially painful number of votes from Harris.

CHASE OLIVER, LIBERTARIAN

The Libertarian Party received a little over one percent of the vote in 2020 and this year will be on the ballot in almost all 50 states, also acting as a potential spoiler. The new face of the party, which advocates for free trade and limited government, is Chase Oliver, a 39-year-old former Democrat, who ran for a Senate seat from Georgia in 2022.

Unknown at the time, the science fiction fan forcing a runoff between the incumbent Democrat and his Republican challenger.

KENNEDY FOR TRUMP

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, scion of America's storied political clan, was polling at four to five percent nationally, before he pulled out of the race in late August and endorsed Trump -- to the great chagrin of his family.

The environmental lawyer and vaccine skeptic was for a time seen as a threat to Harris, with some of her supporters potentially migrating to RFK Jr. But he is also likely to draw away at least some Trump votes.