Third Parties: What role do they play in American politics?
Ross Perot: 1992, 1996 Ralph Nader: 2000, 2004
Warm-Up: The Government Club T-Shirt
Today, we will be selecting the color for the new government club T-shirt. The choices, as
determined by early voting, are blue and yellow.
Which would you vote for?
Third Party
We have a problem. Red, who was eliminated during the early voting has made a comeback
as the T-shirt color.
What might the supporters of Blue and Yellow do?
Ideas:
Either of the parties can absorb red and become purple or orange.
Either party can use red for printing or design.
The parties can ignore red.
Third Party
Any political party
organized in at
least a few states,
other than the two
current leading
partiesJesse Ventura, Independent Governor of Minnesota, 1999-2003
History of American Third Parties
Third Parties in the U.S. receive great attention, but in fact “have not assumed the importance that all the academic attention on them suggests.”
History of American Third Parties
No minor third party as ever come close to winning the presidency
Only eight third party candidates have won any electoral votes
Only five, including Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 and Ross Perot in 1992 have won more than 10% of the popular vote
Formation and Role of Third Parties
Third parties influence elections by revealing sectional and political divides and bringing light to new issues.
Third Parties usually form around a social cause and social activists.
A third party neglected by the two major parties is able to affect the electorate more than if their views were co-opted by one of the major two.
Types of Third Parties
Sectional Parties
Example: Strom Thurmond
and the Dixiecrat Party ran on a segregationist platform in 1948
Economic Protest Parties
Example: James Weaver and the Populist Party won over 1 million popular votes and 22 electoral votes in 1892
Ideology Parties
Examples: Socialist, Communist, and Libertarian Parties
Libertarian Party 2000 campaign ad
Charismatic Personality Parties
Example: Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive Bull Moose Party in 1912
Specific Issue Parties
Example: Prohibition Party in 1892
Combination Parties
Example: George Wallace in 1968 (American Independent Party)o Dynamic leader with a
Southern baseo Anti-civil rightso Won 13% popular vote &
46 electoral votes
Purpose of Third Parties
“The electoral progress of third parties is in direct proportion to the failure of the two
major parties to incorporate new ideas.”
Ralph Nader and the Green Party in 2000
Purpose of Third Parties
Though very rare, a third party may replace one of the major parties 1856, the Republican Party replaces the Whig Party
Lincoln-Douglas Debates, 1858
Purpose of Third Parties
Third Parties have influenceMajor parties often take
on the ideas of third parties
In 1992, both the Republican and Democratic Parties took on Perot’s reform government ideas about reducing the deficit
George Bush (Republican), Ross Perot (Reform), & Bill Clinton (Democrat) during
1992 Presidential debate
Purpose of Third Parties:
William Jennings Bryan, Democratic candidate for President, 1896
Once the major parties incorporate their ideas, third parties burn out
Populist Party platform was assimilated into the Democratic Party in 1896
George Wallace, American Independent Party, 1968 Electionhttp://www.wku.edu/Library/onlinexh• What issue do you
think George Wallace’s American Independent Party was promoting?
http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/t/third_party.asp
• What is the artist trying to say about voters who choose third party candidates?
T.R. Vs. Taft, Election of 1912http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/election-cartoons/images/mother-of-
presidents.gif
• In 1912, both Taft and Roosevelt were fighting for the same voters. What do you think was the result of TR’s candidacy in 1912?
The Bathtubwww.cartoonstock.com/directory/t/third_party.asp
Why is it so difficult for third parties to gather support?
Independent Voters?http://3rdpartyblogger.com/political-cartoons/political-cartoons-2/
Why might third parties be attractive to voters?
Nader & the Reform Party 2004
What is the artist saying about Nader’s 2004 run for president as the reform candidate?
The Libertarians…www.independentpoliticalreport.com
What issues do you think the Libertarian party might be concerned with?
The Nader Oval Officehttp://politicalhumor.about.com
• What is the artist communicating about the Green party agenda?
The Tea Party
True Third Party or Political Movement???
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20002529-503544.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20002529-503544.html
The Tea Set http://politicalhumor.about.com
• Sometimes third party issues can be difficult to stomach.
Don’t Compromise on Me!http://politicalhumor.about.com
• Getting the message across is more important than cutting a deal with the other parties.
Marriage Proposalhttp://politicalhumor.about.com
• The two major parties are not necessarily looking to absorb the third parties. Sometimes they can hurt more than help.
Tea Party Throws GOP Overboard
http://politicalhumor.about.com
• The reverse is true: not every third party is looking to be picked up by one of the majors.
Tea Totaledhttp://politicalhumor.about.com
• The two major parties need to be careful they do not try to please everyone. It is impossible and can cause the party to lose control of the message.
Hat in the Ringhttp://politicalhumor.about.com
• It can take time for a third party to be taken seriously. It may never happen.