Executive Summary
Voters in the 2010 elections can again expect to see few third-party candidates who seek to provide alternatives to politics as usual. Those few candidates face long odds. Of the 6,181 third-party candidates registered in the last nine years, only 2 percent won their races. Moreover, the traditional advantages of money and incumbency don't confer success onto third-party candidates to the same extent as they do mainstream party candidates.
- Third-party candidates financed their own campaigns more often, and lost more often, compared to self-financiers in the mainstream parties.
- Candidates identifying themselves as Independent and Progressive Party candidates were most successful; candidates from the Libertarian and the Green parties were among the least.
- Third-party candidates fared best in Vermont: 34 candidates out of 236 won seats, or 14 percent. Kentucky saw the fewest third-party candidates: only 15 filed for office during the study period 2000-2009. In California, 392 third-party candidates sought office—none won.
Übersicht
About 100 third parties fielded candidates in the years 2000–2009. Some well-established and well-known parties, like the Libertarian, Progressive, and Green parties, help inform the debate year after year. Others field a few candidates and tend to come and go. Some of those organize around a single issue, such as the Make Marijuana Legal, the Right to Life, and the U.S. Taxpayer parties. Others tend to have broader, or less-defined goals, such as the Unity, the Wingnut, and the Personal Choice parties.
Regardless of name and purpose, however, third-party candidates seeking state office face long odds in the American political system. Third-party candidates gained seats in less than one percent of the legislative and statewide races held between 2000 and 2009. In fact, such candidates entered fewer than 20 percent of the races. When they did enter, they won only 2 percent of the seats. Moreover, the traditional advantages of money and incumbency didn't confer success onto third-party candidates to the same extent as they do mainstream party candidates.
- In the years 2000 through 2009, Americans elected more than 32,400 state legislators and state officials in partisan races. Third-party candidates vied for a seat 18 percent of the time, or in only 5,699 contests; they won 84 seats, or about 2 percent of the races they entered. When all races are considered, third-party candidates gained seats less than 1 percent of the time.
- More than 73,000 candidates sought office between 2000 and 2009, but only 6,181 (8 percent) represented a third party.1
- Of the mere 87 third-party incumbents seeking re-election in a contested general election across the nation, only 47 (54 percent) won. Incumbents from the two main parties, however, enjoyed a 92 percent success rate.
- Only 160 of the 6,181 third-party candidates were the top fundraisers in a contested general election, and only 36 of those candidates won, or 23 percent. Top fundraisers from the Republican and Democratic parties, in contrast, won 82 percent of the time. Only 5 percent of the third-party candidates were even monetarily competitive.
- Third-party candidates who financed their own campaigns lost more often compared to self-financiers in the mainstream parties; less than 1 percent of third-party candidates paying their own way were elected. In comparison, candidates from mainstream parties who provided most of their own financing won 11 percent of the time.
- Independent and Progressive Party candidates were most successful; candidates from the Libertarian and Green parties were among the least successful. Independents earned 36 seats, Progressives 25. Libertarians put up 2,382 candidates and one won. Greens put up 653 candidates and won four seats.
- Third-party candidates fared better in Vermont than in any other state: 34 third-party candidates (of 236 total candidates) won seats, or 14 percent.
Methodology
For purposes of comparison with the Institute's published study, The Role of Money & Incumbency in 2007–2008 State Elections, incumbents are defined here as those who are either incumbent in an office and running for that office or candidates who are incumbent in one office but seeking another seat in an open race. Some candidates won the nomination in one of the major parties in addition to another party; those candidates are not considered third-party candidates. A top fundraiser was one who raised the most in an election. If there was more than one seat in a given election, the number of top fundraisers equals the number of seats unless there were more seats than candidates who raised money. In many races, particularly in New Hampshire, several candidates did not report raising any money. If candidates in the top range raised the same amount of money, those candidates were given the top fundraiser designation (note: unless the amount was zero).
Click here for the definition of monetary competitiveness.
Incumbency
Reflecting the long odds faced by candidates outside the two main parties, only 87 of the 6,181 third-party candidates were incumbents. The largest number of third-party incumbents, 30, hailed from Vermont. Incumbent third-party candidates kept their seats 57 percent of the time, or in 45 out of 79 races. Only eight third-party candidates who were incumbent in one seat ran for another, open seat. Two of those eight candidates won the open seat. In stark contrast, incumbents from the two major parties enjoyed a 92 percent success rate. For an in-depth analysis of the effects of money and incumbency, see The Role of Money & Incumbency in 2007–2008 State Elections.
Incumbents | Seats Sought | Seats Won | Percent |
---|---|---|---|
Third Party | 87 | 47 | 54 |
Major Party | 26,855 | 24,713 | 92 |
Monetary Competitiveness
Third-party Candidates and Self-finance
Third-party candidates financed their own campaigns slightly more often than did mainstream candidates, but did not win as often when they did.2 Only 699 third-party candidates (11 percent) financed more than half of their campaigns. Two of those candidates won their races. Just 8 percent (5,285) of mainstream party candidates provided most of their own financing. The self-financiers among the mainstream candidates won more often than those in a third party: 601 candidates (11 percent) won their races.
The largest self-financiers among all third-party candidates were running for governor.
B. Thomas Golisano, a member of the Independence Party, spent $74.1 million of his own money in an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid in New York in 2002, or 99 percent of the total $74.9 million his campaign raised. Golisano, a philanthropist and founder of Paychex, Inc., a payroll and benefits administrative services provider,3 lost to Republican George Pataki. Pataki's campaign brought in only $39.5 million, which is about half (53 percent) of the amount raised by Golisano.
John Georges of Louisiana loaned himself $12 million—95 percent of his total campaign receipts—in his unsuccessful run for governor as an independent candidate in 2007. Georges is the CEO of Georges Enterprises, which owns "world-wide investments consisting of a diverse group of holdings."4 Georges came in third, with 14 percent of the vote in a crowded field. Republican Bobby Jindal won that contest with 54 percent of the vote; he outraised Georges by $1 million.
Top Money-raiser: Independence Party
Golisano's spending vaulted the Independence Party to the top of the money-raising list. His $74.1 million in 2002 accounted for 94 percent of Independence Party candidate receipts for the entire nine-year study period. All that money, however, didn't translate into wins. The Independence Party fielded 115 candidates in all 50 states between 2000 and 2009, but none were elected.
Top Seat Winners: Independents & Progressives
Candidates calling themselves "Independent" won 36 seats, more than any other third party.5 They fielded 1,136 candidates, making their overall win rate 3 percent. Independent candidates raised $39.3 million overall. Independents in Texas raised the largest part of that money ($15.4 million) but had no winning candidates. Independents in Massachusetts got $5.1 million and one candidate won. Independents in Virginia raised $4.2 million and won 10 seats.
The Progressive Party was the next-most-successful third party, with 25 seats won. Most of those seats (24) were won in Vermont. Progressives fielded 85 candidates and won 29 percent of the time, giving them the highest success rate of any third party running more than one candidate.
Least Successful
The Libertarian Party is an established presence in the American political landscape, but it is also one of the least successful parties when looking at number of seats gained. Libertarians put up 2,382 candidates during the study period, and only one candidate won. Libertarian candidates raised a total of $3.7 million. The Green Party ran 653 candidates and won four seats, spending $5.9 million.
Several parties raised no money, won no seats, and put forth a single candidate who was also the party's founder. Some examples are: Ian Bigelow, of the Wingnut Party, ran for the Vermont House of Representatives in 2006. Timothy "Cleaver" Stoddard ran for Washington State Senate on the Salmon Yoga ticket in 2008. Robert Healey, of the Cool Moose Party, ran for lt. gov. in Rhode Island in 2002 and is currently running for lt. governor again (as an Independent) on the promise of eliminating the office.6 Jimmy McMillan ran for governor in New York as the Rent is Too High Party candidate in 2006, and ran for mayor of New York in 2009.7
![Third Party Victories, 2000-2009](/assets/press/Reports/images/ThirdParty/ThirdParty.png)
Synopsis of Five States
Third-party candidates enjoyed the most success in Vermont. The Green Mountain State has three major parties: Republican, Democrat, and Progressive. At present in 2010, it currently has three minor parties: Liberty, Libertarian, and Working Families.8 In prior years, Vermont's third parties have fielded 236 candidates and elected 34, for a win rate of 14 percent—higher than any other state in the nation.
Virginia came in second, having fielded 113 candidates and elected 10, for a win rate of 9 percent.
New York has seen the largest number of third-party candidates, at 430, yet elected only one third-party candidate in the entire study period.
California's third-party candidates faced an even more dismal record: none of the 392 third-party candidates seeking seats in California won.
Suprisingly, New Hampshire does not see a lot of participation by third-party candidates. Despite having the largest legislative body in the United States, with 400 house members and 24 senators serving 1.3 million people, or a little over 3,000 people per legislator, only two percent of the candidates came from a third party. Of the 71 third-party candidates in New Hampshire—far fewer than the 236 fielded in neighboring Vermont—only two won.
- 1. Candidates with Unknown, Unenrolled, Write-In, Other, and By Petition are included in this total.
- 2. A self-financed candidate received more than 50 percent of the total contributions from himself or herself or a member of the candidate's immediate family.
- 3. "About Paychex - The Power of a Good Idea," Paychex, Inc., available from http://www.paychex.com/company/aboutus.aspx, accessed April 27, 2010.
- 4. Georges Enterprises, available from http://www.georgesenterprises.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1, accessed April 6, 2010.
- 5. Some candidates call themselves independent to indicate that they have no party affiliation. Others belong to a formal Independent Party, such as the Independent Party of Oregon. The Institute records the party designation given by state election officials and does not attempt to differentiate between those belonging to a formal party and those who do not.
- 6. "Robert Healey for RI Lieutenant Governor 2010," VoteHealey.com, available from http://www.votehealey.com/, accessed April 28, 2010.
- 7. "Jimmy McMillan," Jimmy McMillan 09, available from http://www.mcmillan09.org/, accessed April 28, 2010.
- 8. "Political Parties in Vermont," Vermont Secretary of State Deborah L. Markowitz, available from http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/political_parties.html, accessed
Clearly, you're interested in following the money.
It costs more than $2 million a year to provide these verifiable facts about money in politics.
Do you know we simply give it to you, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
How often does that happen elsewhere in your life?
Please donate. You'll help us keep democracy transparent!