1. Third Parties : “They Ain’t Got a Chance” Ross Perot: 1992, 1996 Ralph Nader: 2000, 2004

2. Third Party Any political party organized in at least a few states, other than the two current leading parties Jesse Ventura, Independent Governor of Minnesota, 1999- 2003

3. What do shooting stars and third parties have in common?

4. 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.”

5. Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Minor Parties: Persistence and Frustration Libertarian Party Green Party Reform Party

6. Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Minor Parties in the United States

7. 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 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

8. Minor Parties in the United States Types of Minor Parties  Ideological Parties Example: Libertarian Party  Single-issue Parties Example: Marijuana Party  Economic Protest Parties Example: The Greenback Party  Splinter Party Example: “Bull Moose” Progressive Party Types of Minor Parties  Ideological Parties Example: Libertarian Party  Single-issue Parties Example: Marijuana Party  Economic Protest Parties Example: The Greenback Party  Splinter Party Example: “Bull Moose” Progressive Party

9. Types of Third Parties

10. Sectional Parties Example: Strom Thurmond and the Dixiecrat Party ran on a segregationist platform in 1948

11. Economic Protest Parties Example: James Weaver and the Populist Party won over 1 million popular votes and 22 electoral votes in 1892

12. Ideology Parties Examples: Socialist, Communist, and Libertarian Parties Libertarian Party 2000 campaign ad

13. Charismatic Personality Parties Example: Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive Bull Moose Party in 1912

14. Specific Issue Parties Example: Prohibition Party in 1892

15. Combination Parties Example: George Wallace in 1968 (American Independent Party) o Dynamic leader with a Southern base (sectionalism) o Anti-civil rights (issue based) o Won 13% popular vote & 46 electoral votes

16. Why are Minor Parties Important?

17. “Spoiler Role”  Minor party candidates can pull decisive votes away from one of the major parties’ candidates, especially if the minor party candidate is from a splinter party.

18. Critic Minor parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore.

19. Innovator Often, minor parties will draw attention to important issues and propose innovative solutions to problems. If these proposals gain popular support, they are often integrated into the platforms of the two major parties.

20. 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

21. Purpose of Third Parties Third Parties have influence  Major 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

22. 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

23. George Wallace, American Independent Party, 1968 Election http://www.wku.edu/Library/onlinexh

24. Ross Perot, 1996 http://www.bartcop.com

25. Nader & the Reform Party 2004