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History of Popular Third Parties
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James Weaver, a Green Party candidate, takes 3.32% of the vote
Rosenstone describes in his book about why third parties became popular: “In 1880, farm prices were down 51% from their 1864 level. With nearly half the electorate dependent on agriculture for their economic survival, a huge pool of voters mobilized behind the Greenbacks." Bad economic conditions had the farmers wanting a change in the politics. -
Theodore Roosevelt, Progressive Party candidate, recieves 27.4% of the vote
Roosevelt had grown tired of the Democratic views and decided to run for president on his own party. He was the most successful third party candidate, winning 27.4% of the popular vote, even beating the Republican candidate at the polls. -
George Wallace, an independent, recieves 13.5% of the vote
The 1960s was the decade which everybody in earned their civil rights. Many states were forced to desegregate everything. Many people in the south didn't like this and Wallace was there to support segregation. He wasn't at all popular in the north, but was highly successful in the souther states winning 5 states and recieving 46 electoral votes- the only third party candidate to do so. -
John B. Anderson, an independent, recieves 6% of the vote
1980 was a time when unemployment, miltary, and government issues were at its forefront. With United States citizens become sick of the two parties, 6% opted out of voting for Republican or Democrat -
Ross Perot, an idependent, recieves 18.9% of the vote
Ross Perot recieved almost a fifth of the vote in the 1992 elections, proving that you don't have to be part of a third party to win an election. He had a large effect on the two parties. As Lacey and Burden write in their article about how Perot "increased voter turnout by 3% and decreased Clinton’s marginal person victor of Bush by 7%,” this shows the importance third parties can have on the major parties. -
Jesse Ventura, a Reform Party candidate, wins governor of Minnesota
Frank Sorauf’s had an article in which he reviewed a book on Ventura’s political race and had this to say about it: “He was helped by the state’s funding of campaigns, its registering of new voters at polling places, its putting his party automatically on the ballot, and by TV debates rules that gave him a place at the podium.” The more media attention that a third party candidate can recieve, the more likely they can win an election. -
Third parties recieve 1.73% of the vote
Third party voters are back on the rise since the early 2010s. Many issues are on people's minds when they think about politics. Ron Paul, one of the most popular candidates, has recently retired from the politcal scene. However, he continues traveling to universities all over the country to spread his message that isn't heard of from the major parties- and people like it.
