Although the United States has a firmly established two-party system, independent parties play an important role in U.S. politics. Democrats and Republicans win the vast majority of federal, state, and local elections, but independent candidates often reflect popular attitudes and concerns. Most independent parties — also known as third parties — begin in response to a specific issue, candidate, or political philosophy.
The current two-party system of Democrats and Republicans evolved during the mid-nineteenth century. Before that, the Democrats squared off against the Whigs, led by Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. The Whig party was founded around 1834 to oppose the populist policies of Democratic president Andrew Jackson. Its members objected to Jackson's views on banking and the designation of federal funds, among other things.
Although Whig presidential candidates were successful in 1840 (William Henry Harrison) and 1848 (Zachary Taylor), the party survived less than forty years. In the 1850s the Republicans entered the political scene as independents. After Republican Abraham Lincoln's victory in the 1860 U.S. presidential race, the Republican party replaced the Whig party as the main party opposing the Democrats. Many northern Whigs joined the Republicans, whereas southern Whigs became aligned with the Democrats.
The platforms and purposes of independent parties, both past and present, vary tremendously. Some independent parties, such as the Socialist party, the Communist party, and the Libertarian party, were formed to promote their political worldview rather than a single issue or a charismatic leader. The Socialist party, founded in 1901, has been relatively successful and long lasting. Its heyday was around 1912, when its candidate Eugene V. Debs received about six percent of the popular vote in the presidential election. That same year more than one thousand Socialists held elected positions throughout the United States.
Other independent parties were founded by dissident progressives from one or both of the major parties. In 1912 progressives in the Republican party broke off and formed the Progressive party, also known as the Bull Moose party, naming former U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt as its presidential candidate. Roosevelt lost to Democratic nominee Woodrow Wilson in the general election.
In 1924 another progressive party, called the League for Progressive Political Action, was launched. This party backed Senator Robert M. La Follette, from Wisconsin, who received 16 percent of the popular vote while losing to Republican incumbent Calvin Coolidge.
In 1948 progressives in the Democratic party formed still another Progressive party. It supported Henry A. Wallace in an unsuccessful bid to unseat incumbent Democratic president Harry S. Truman.
Other offshoots of the two major parties include the Locofocos, or Equal Rights party, and the Mugwumps. The Locofocos emerged from the Democratic party in the early nineteenth century. They supported stricter bank regulation and antitrust laws. The Mugwumps broke from the Republican party in the 1884 presidential campaign and supported the Democratic nominee Grover Cleveland. Their name was derived from the Algonquian word for chief. The Mugwumps' defection contributed to the Democrats' victory.
Some independent candidates transcend their party affiliation. Billionaire H. Ross Perot caught the public's imagination during the 1992 presidential campaign, which was won by Democrat Bill Clinton. Of the 19 million U.S. citizens who voted for Perot, few if any cast their ballot in support of his independent party. People voted for Perot, the person, as an alternative to Clinton and the Republican candidate (for reelection) George Bush. Perot ran again as an independent in 1996.
An independent candidate and a specific issue are often linked inextricably. This was the case in 1968 with Alabama governor George Wallace and his American Independent party. Wallace was a vocal opponent of civil rights. His position on segregation and states' rights and his bold personality were the sum total of the party.
Other important social issues have spawned independent parties. The Prohibition party was formed in 1869 by temperance activists who wanted to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol. Before the Civil War, the Liberty party was created by abolitionists to outlaw slavery. Similarly, the Free-Soil party — which later became part of the Republican party — was started in 1848 to prevent the extension of slavery into new U.S. territories and states.
On the other end of the ideological spectrum were the Dixiecrats. Led by Strom Thurmond, these were a group of southern Democrats opposed to President Truman's civil rights policies. The Dixiecrats splintered from the main party in 1948.
Bigotry was the driving force behind the Know-Nothing party — also called the American party — formed in 1849 to pursue discrimination against immigrants and Roman Catholics. The name referred to the secrecy surrounding the group: members were instructed to say, "I don't know," if asked about the party.
The effect of an independent party on a presidential race varies. In 1912 independent candidate Theodore Roosevelt, of the Bull Moose party, earned more votes than Republican nominee Taft, and in effect delivered the election to Democratic challenger Wilson. In other presidential elections, independents made barely a ripple. For example, in 1872 the Prohibition party candidate received a mere fifty-six hundred votes.
Some citizens are reluctant to vote for an independent candidate, feeling the gesture is futile. The odds for winning either the popular or electoral vote are slim. Still, the political dialogue generated by independent candidates is a meaningful contribution to the democratic process. Even when independent candidates lose the election, the public becomes more aware of their message.
