Most Third-Party Candidates In 76 Years

Third parties seldom do well in United States elections, and many political pundits usually just consider their candidates to be spoilers for one of the candidates of the two major parties.   For example, Greens can siphon off progressive votes from Democrats and Libertarians can siphon off conservative votes from Republicans.  

But recent polls show that Americans may be ready for a new political party to compete with the Republicans and Democrats.   Significant portions of the electorate have answered in the affirmative when asked this year if they would like to see a new major third party.   It seems that many voters are unhappy with both the Democratic and Republican parties.

And some existing third parties are trying to take advantage of that feeling this year.   In just races for the United States House of Representatives there are 443 third-party candidates.   That's the most third-party candidates running for the House in 76 years (since 1934 when 513 third-party candidates ran).

The Libertarian Party has fielded the most candidates.   They have 153 House candidates.   The Green Party is second with 58 House candidates, and the Constitution Party comes in third with 39 House candidates.   Several other smaller parties are running candidates, including a revived Whig Party (see above bumper sticker).

Since 1932, there have been 17,403 House races, and third parties have run candidates in 9,782 of them (for an average of 0.56 candidates per House race).   Here in Texas we have had 422 candidates out of 1,000 races.   That's pretty good considering how hard it is for a third party to get on the ballot in Texas.

It's hard for third-party candidates to get elected in America, but they keep plugging away.   I'm glad, considering the reluctance of both major political parties to make real changes that would take power from the corporations and rich and return it to ordinary Americans.   I hope both the Libertarians and the Greens do well enough to stay on the ballot in the next election.   I myself voted for some Greens and some Libertarians this year.

Frankly, keeping third parties on the ballot is a way to pressure the Democrats and Republicans to actually keep some of their promises.