Third party officeholders in the United States

Third-party officeholders in the United States are rare at any point of time. Although the current two-party system in the U.S., with the Republican party and Democratic party, started in 1856, many of the older parties still existed and had an influence. Therefore, this article includes any politician since the end of Reconstruction or since the 45th United States Congress.

These galleries and lists include anyone who at one time, while in office, was an independent or affiliated with a third party. They are listed in descending order from the first year they were in office as something other than a Republican or Democrat.

Since the end of Reconstruction, there have been a total of 30 U.S. Senators, 111 U.S. Representatives, and 28 Governors that weren't affiliated with a major party. There are now two U.S. Senators (King and Sanders), and four major city Mayors. Hundreds of third-party officeholders exist at the local level (including those in nonpartisan positions who are affiliated with a third-party), including 146 Libertarian Party members^[1] and 131 Green Party members.^[2]

U.S. Senators

U.S. Senator
Angus King
of Maine
Elected as an Independent
(2013–Present)
U.S. Senator
Joe Lieberman
of Connecticut
Re-elected on the Connecticut for Lieberman ticket after losing the 2006 Democratic nomination.
(1989–2013)
U.S. Senator
Bernie Sanders
of Vermont
Elected as an Independent
(2007–Present)
U.S. Senator
Dean Barkley
of Minnesota
Appointed for Independence Party of Minnesota
(2002–2003)
U.S. Senator
Jim Jeffords
of Vermont
Switched from Republican to Independent in 2001
(1989–2007)
U.S. Senator
Bob Smith
of New Hampshire
Switched from Republican to Independent in 1999
(1990–2003)
U.S. Senator
James L. Buckley
of New York
Elected as a Conservative, lost re-election as a Republican in 1976
(1971–1977)
U.S. Senator
Harry F. Byrd Jr.
of Virginia
Switched from Democratic to Independent in 1970
(1965–1983)
U.S. Senator
Wayne Morse
of Oregon
Switched from Republican to Independent in 1953, then to Democratic in 1955.
(1945–1959)
U.S. Senator
John E. Miller
of Arkansas
Elected as an Independent, served as Democratic
(1937–1941)
U.S. Senator
Ernest Lundeen
of Minnesota
Elected as Farmer-Labor
(1937–1940)
U.S. Senator
George W. Norris
of Nebraska
Switched from Republican to Independent in 1936
(1913–1943)
U.S. Senator
Elmer Austin Benson
of Minnesota
Elected as Farmer-Labor
(1935–1936)
U.S. Senator
Robert M. La Follette
of Wisconsin
Switched from Republican to Progressive in 1934, then back to Republican in 1946
(1925–1947)
U.S. Senator
Magnus Johnson
of Minnesota
Elected as Farmer-Labor
(1923–1925)
U.S. Senator
Henrik Shipstead
of Minnesota
Elected as Farmer-Labor, switched to Republican in 1940
(1923–1947)
U.S. Senator
Miles Poindexter
of Washington
Switched from Republican to Progressive in 1912, switched back to Republican in 1915
(1911–1923)
U.S. Senator
Joseph M. Dixon
of Montana
Switched from Republican to Progressive in 1912
(1907–1913)
U.S. Senator
Henry Heitfeld
of Idaho
Elected as a Populist
(1897–1903)
U.S. Senator
William A. Harris
of Kansas
Elected as a Populist
(1897–1903)
U.S. Senator
Henry Moore Teller
of Colorado
Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896, then to Democratic in 1903
(1876–1909)
U.S. Senator
Fred Dubois
of Idaho
Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896
(1891–1897)
U.S. Senator
Frank J. Cannon
of Utah
Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896
(1896–1899)
U.S. Senator
Richard F. Pettigrew
of South Dakota
Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896
(1889–1901)
U.S. Senator
Lee Mantle
of Montana
Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896
(1895–1899)
U.S. Senator
John P. Jones
of Nevada
Switched from Republican to Silver in 1895, then back to Republican in 1901
(1873–1903)
U.S. Senator
William M. Stewart
of Nevada
Switched from Republican to Silver in 1893, then back to Republican in 1901
(1887–1905)
U.S. Senator
William V. Allen
of Nebraska
Elected as a Populist
(1893–1901)
U.S. Senator
James H. Kyle
of South Dakota
Elected as a Populist
(1891–1901)
U.S. Senator
Marion Butler
of North Carolina
Elected as a Populist
(1895–1901)
U.S. Senator
William A. Peffer
of Kansas
Elected as a Populist
(1891–1897)
U.S. Senator
Harrison H. Riddleberger
of Virginia
Elected as a Readjuster
(1883–1889)
U.S. Senator
William Mahone
of Virginia
Elected as a Readjuster
(1881–1887)
U.S. Senator
David Davis
of Illinois
Elected as an Independent
(1877–1883)
U.S. Senator
Newton Booth
of California
Elected as an Anti-Monopolist, served as an Ind. Republican
(1875–1881)
U.S. Senator
Orris S. Ferry
of Connecticut
Elected as a Liberal Republican in 1872
(1867–1875)
U.S. Senator
Morgan C. Hamilton
of Texas
Switched from Republican to Liberal Republican in 1872, switched back to Republican in 1875
(1870–1877)
U.S. Senator
Charles Sumner
of Massachusetts
Elected as Free Soil Democratic in 1851, became a Republican in 1855, then became a Liberal Republican in 1872
(1851–1874)
U.S. Senator
David T. Patterson
of Tennessee
Elected as a Unionist in 1866, became a Republican by 1867
(1866–1869)
U.S. Senator
Joseph S. Fowler
of Tennessee
Elected as an Unconditional Unionist in 1866, became a Republican by 1867
(1866–1871)
U.S. Senator
John Creswell
of Maryland
Elected as an Unconditional Unionist in 1864
(1865–1867)
U.S. Senator
Benjamin Gratz Brown
of Missouri
Elected as an Unconditional Unionist in 1863, became a Republican by 1865
(1863–1867)
U.S. Senator
Peter G. Van Winkle
of West Virginia
Elected as a Unionist in 1863, became a Republican by 1867
(1863–1869)
U.S. Senator
Reverdy Johnson
of Maryland
Elected as a Unionist in 1863, switched to Democratic by 1865
(1863–1868)
U.S. Senator
Lemuel J. Bowden
of Virginia
Elected as a Unionist in 1863
(1863–1864)
U.S. Senator
Thomas Holliday Hicks
of Maryland
Elected as an Unconditional Unionist in 1862
(1862–1865)
U.S. Senator
John B. Henderson
of Missouri
Elected as an Unconditional Unionist in 1862, became a Republican by 1865
(1862–1869)
U.S. Senator
Robert Wilson
of Missouri
Appointed as an Unconditional Unionist in 1862
(1862–1863)
U.S. Senator
Garrett Davis
of Kentucky
Elected as a Unionist in 1861, switched to Democratic by 1867
(1861–1872)
U.S. Senator
John S. Carlile
of Virginia
Elected as a Unionist in 1861
(1861–1865)
U.S. Senator
Waitman T. Willey
of Virginia
Elected as an Unconditional Unionist in 1861
(1861–1863)

U.S. Representatives

Main article: Third party United States House of Representatives

Governors

Governor of Alaska
Bill Walker Elected as an Independent
(2014–Present)
Governor of Rhode Island Lincoln Chafee Elected as an Independent, switched to Democratic in 2013 ^[1]
(2011–2015)
Governor of Florida
Charlie Crist Elected as Republican, switched to Independent in 2010
(2007–2011)
Governor of Minnesota
Jesse Ventura Elected for Reform Party of Minnesota
(1999–2003)
Governor of Maine
Angus King Elected as an Independent
(1995–2003)
Governor of Connecticut
Lowell Weicker Elected for A Connecticut Party
(1991–1995)
Governor of Alaska
Wally Hickel Elected for Alaskan Independence Party, switched to Republican in 1994
(1990–1994)
Governor of Maine
James B. Longley Elected as an Independent
(1975–1979)
Governor of Minnesota
Elmer Austin Benson Elected as Minnesota Farmer–Labor
(1937–1939)
Governor of Minnesota
Hjalmar Petersen Elected as Minnesota Farmer–Labor
(1936–1937)
Governor of Minnesota
Floyd B. Olson Elected as Minnesota Farmer–Labor
(1931–1936)
Governor of Florida
Sidney Johnston Catts Elected as a Prohibitionist
(1917–1921)
Governor of California
Hiram Johnson Elected as Republican, switched to Progressive in office
(1911–1917)
Governor of Nevada
Denver S. Dickerson Elected as Silver
(1908–1911)
Governor of Nebraska
William A. Poynter Elected as a Populist
(1899–1901)
Governor of Kansas
John W. Leedy Elected as a Populist
(1897–1899)
Governor of Washington
John Rankin Rogers Elected as a Populist
(1897–1901)
Governor of Nevada
Reinhold Sadler Elected as Silver
(1896–1903)
Governor of Nevada
John Jones Elected as Silver
(1895–1896)
Governor of Nebraska
Silas A. Holcomb Elected as a Populist
(1895–1899)
Governor of Kansas
Lorenzo D. Lewelling Elected as a Populist
(1893–1895)
Governor of Colorado
Davis Hanson Waite Elected as a Populist
(1893–1895)
Governor of Tennessee
John P. Buchanan Elected for the Farmers' Alliance
(1891–1893)
Governor of Virginia (1882–1886)
William E. Cameron Elected as a Readjuster
(1882–1886)
Governor of West Virginia (1871–1877)
John J. Jacob Elected as an Independent
(1871–1877)

^ "Chafee spokeswoman confirms he will register as Democrat Thursday". Providence Journal. 2013-05-29. Retrieved 2013-05-29.

State legislatures

Main article: Third-party members of state legislatures of the United States

References

↑ "Elected Officials – Libertarian Party". Retrieved 10 October 2013.
↑ "Officeholder Members of the Green Party of the United States". Retrieved 10 October 2013.

National political parties in the United States

List of political parties in the United States

Major parties

Third parties

Larger	Constitution Green Libertarian

Smaller¹	America First American Conservative American Freedom American Populist America's Black Riders Liberation Christian Liberty Citizens Communist Democratic Socialists Freedom Socialist Independent American Justice Marijuana Modern Whig National Socialist Movement New Afrikan Black Panther New Black Panther Objectivist Pacifist Peace and Freedom Pirate Prohibition Reform Socialism and Liberation Socialist Socialist Action Socialist Alternative Socialist Equality Socialist Workers Unity Veterans Workers World

Former parties

¹ Fewer than 50,000 members.
- State and local political parties (without national body)
- Presidential nominating conventions
- Politics of the United States
- Politics portal

Notable third party performances in United States elections

Presidential (since 1832)	1832 1836 1848 1856 1860 1892 1912 1924 1948 1968 1980 1992 1996 2000

Senatorial (since 1990)	Virginia 1990 Alaska 1992 Arizona 1992 Hawaii 1992 Louisiana 1992 Ohio 1992 Arizona 1994 Minnesota 1994 Ohio 1994 Vermont 1994 Virginia 1994 Alaska 1996 Minnesota 1996 Arizona 2000 Massachusetts 2000 Minnesota 2000 Alaska 2002 Kansas 2002 Massachusetts 2002 Mississippi 2002 Oklahoma 2002 Virginia 2002 Oklahoma 2004 Connecticut 2006 Indiana 2006 Maine 2006 Vermont 2006 Arkansas 2008 Idaho 2008 Minnesota 2008 Oregon 2008 Alaska 2010 Florida 2010 Indiana 2010 South Carolina 2010 Utah 2010 Indiana 2012 Maine 2012 Maryland 2012 Missouri 2012 Montana 2012 Vermont 2012 Kansas 2014 South Dakota 2014 Wyoming 2014

Gubernatorial (since 1990)	Alaska 1990 Connecticut 1990 Kansas 1990 Maine 1990 New York 1990 Oklahoma 1990 Oregon 1990 Utah 1992 West Virginia 1992 Alaska 1994 Connecticut 1994 Hawaii 1994 Maine 1994 New Mexico 1994 Oklahoma 1994 Pennsylvania 1994 Rhode Island 1994 Vermont 1994 Alaska 1998 Maine 1998 Minnesota 1998 New York 1998 Pennsylvania 1998 Rhode Island 1998 Kentucky 1999 New Hampshire 2000 Vermont 2000 Arizona 2002 California 2002 Maine 2002 Minnesota 2002 New Mexico 2002 New York 2002 Oklahoma 2002 Wisconsin 2002 Alaska 2006 Illinois 2006 Maine 2006 Massachusetts 2006 Minnesota 2006 Texas 2006 Louisiana 2007 Vermont 2008 New Jersey 2009 Colorado 2010 Idaho 2010 Maine 2010 Massachusetts 2010 Minnesota 2010 Rhode Island 2010 Wyoming 2010 Virginia 2013 Alaska 2014 Hawaii 2014 Maine 2014 Rhode Island 2014 Wyoming 2014

Portal:Politics Third party (United States) Third party officeholders in the United States Third party United States House of Representatives

Third Party members of the United States House of Representatives

Greenback Party	Bradley Barlow Charles N. Brumm Joseph Henry Burrows Nicholas Ford Albert P. Forsythe Edward H. Gillette Ira Sherwin Hazeltine George W. Jones George W. Ladd William M. Lowe Gilbert De La Matyr James Mosgrove Thompson H. Murch Theron Moses Rice Daniel Lindsay Russell James B. Weaver Luman Hamlin Weller Hendrick Bradley Wright Seth Hartman Yocum

Readjuster Party	Henry Bowen Benjamin Stephen Hooper Harry Libbey Robert Murphy Mayo John Paul, Sr. John Sergeant Wise

Populist Party	John Wilbur Atwater William Baker Charles A. Barlow John Calhoun Bell Haldor Boen Jeremiah D. Botkin Marion Cannon Curtis H. Castle Benjamin H. Clover John Davis Caldwell Edwards John Edgar Fowler Albert Taylor Goodwyn William Laury Greene James Gunn Kittel Halvorson William Alexander Harris Milford W. Howard Thomas Jefferson Hudson John Edward Kelley Omer Madison Kem Freeman Knowles Charles H. Martin William A. McKeighan Samuel Maxwell Nelson B. McCormick William Neville John G. Otis Lafe Pence Mason S. Peters Edwin R. Ridgely Jerry Simpson Alonzo C. Shuford Harry Skinner William Ledyard Stark William Franklin Strowd Roderick Dhu Sutherland William D. Vincent Thomas E. Watson

Silver Republican Party	Thomas L. Glenn William Carey Jones John F. Shafroth Edgar Wilson

Progressive Parties	Thomas Ryum Amlie Gerald J. Boileau Walter M. Chandler Ira C. Copley Jacob Falconer Bernard J. Gehrmann Franck R. Havenner William H. Hinebaugh Willis James Hulings Merlin Hull Melville Clyde Kelly Fiorello H. La Guardia William Josiah MacDonald Whitmell P. Martin Harry Sauthoff George J. Schneider William Stephens Henry Wilson Temple Charles M. Thomson Gardner R. Withrow Roy O. Woodruff

Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party	Henry M. Arens John Bernard Rich T. Buckler William Leighton Carss Harold Hagen Dewey Johnson Magnus Johnson Ole J. Kvale Paul John Kvale Ernest Lundeen Francis Shoemaker Henry Teigan Knud Wefald

Other Parties	Victor L. Berger Henry Y. Cranston Irwin D. Davidson Lewis P. Featherstone Samuel I. Hopkins Leo Isacson Meyer London Vito Marcantonio Elisha R. Potter Charles Hiram Randall Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr. Benjamin F. Shively Henry Smith

Independents	William B. Anderson Nathaniel P. Banks Alexander Campbell James Ronald Chalmers Thomas M. Foglietta Virgil Goode William Kent Caleb Lyon John Nichols Thomas P. Ochiltree Frazier Reams Bernie Sanders Julius Hawley Seelye J. Hyatt Smith Amos Tuck George Washington Wright

Portal:Politics Third party (United States) Third party officeholders in the United States Notable third party performances in United States elections

Third Party United States Senators

Populist Party	Henry Heitfeld William A. Harris William V. Allen James H. Kyle William A. Peffer Marion Butler

Silver Republican Party	Henry M. Teller Fred Dubois Frank J. Cannon Richard F. Pettigrew John P. Jones William M. Stewart Lee Mantle

Other parties	Dean Barkley James L. Buckley Ernest Lundeen Elmer Austin Benson Robert M. La Follette, Jr. Magnus Johnson Henrik Shipstead Miles Poindexter Harrison H. Riddleberger William Mahone

Independents	Angus King Joe Lieberman Bernie Sanders Jim Jeffords Bob Smith Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Strom Thurmond Wayne Morse George W. Norris David Davis

Portal:Politics Third party (United States) Third party officeholders in the United States Notable third party performances in United States elections

Third-party governors of U.S. states

Populist Party	William A. Poynter Andrew E. Lee John W. Leedy John Rankin Rogers Silas A. Holcomb Lorenzo D. Lewelling Davis Hanson Waite

Silver Party	Denver S. Dickerson John Sparks Reinhold Sadler John Jones

Other parties	Jesse Ventura Lowell Weicker Wally Hickel Elmer Austin Benson Hjalmar Petersen Philip La Follette Floyd B. Olson Sidney Johnston Catts John P. Buchanan William E. Cameron

Independents	Lincoln Chafee Charlie Crist Angus King James B. Longley Eli C. D. Shortridge Bill Walker Julius Meier

Portal:Politics Third party (United States) Third party officeholders in the United States Notable third party performances in United States elections

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