The Third Party Impact in 2008
2008-07-07
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The Third Party Impact in 2008
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2008-07-07
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Third parties may determine the outcome of the 2008 presidential contest between the
presumptive Democratic and Republican Party candidates, Senator Barack Obama and Senator
John McCain. Elections in statewide races around the country indicate significant potential
support for runs by Libertarian nominee Bob Barr, Ralph Nader, or possibly other candidates.
Voter support for a Barr or Nader third party run would re-shuffle the carefully hatched plans of
the Democratic and Republican parties.
Three of the last 4 presidential elections were impacted by third party campaigns. Green Party
candidate Ralph Nader tilted the 2000 election from the Democratic to Republican parties by
drawing 97,488 votes in the Florida contest that was decided by 537 votes. Ross Perot
influenced the outcome of the 1996 and, especially, the 1992 races. Although Libertarian
presidential candidates have not received more than 0.5 percent of the vote since 1980, they have
placed their candidate’s name on every presidential ballot since 1972, and have achieved ballot
access in at least 36 states in every year since 1980. The Party has won enough votes in
statewide races to contribute to the defeat of many Republicans (e.g. Democrat Jim Doyle’s 2002
Wisconsin Gubernatorial win and Democrat Tim Johnson’s 2002 South Dakota U.S. Senate
victory). Third party candidates have also recently won statewide races for U.S. Senate
(Connecticut’s Joe Lieberman and Vermont’s Bernie Sanders in 2006) and governor
(Minnesota’s Jesse Ventura and Maine’s Angus King in 1998).
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Center for the Study of Politics and Governance
Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
University of Minnesota
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Jacobs, Lawrence; Ostermeier, Eric J.. (2008). The Third Party Impact in 2008. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/200526.
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