Americans are split down the middle on the subject of needing a major third party, according to a Gallup poll that collected data in early September, and one third party candidate is speaking at the University on Friday.
Gary Johnson, formerly the governor of New Mexico, is running as the Libertarian presidential candidate and will speak in the Student Union Theatre at 7 p.m. as part of his Rally for Jobs, Diversity and Opportunity.
The Gallup poll shows 46 percent of people view a third party as necessary, yet 45 percent say the two existing parties “do an adequate job.”
The largest third party in the United States is the Libertarian Party, which claims more than 250,000 registered voters.
In 1972, it received one electoral vote — its first and thus far its last — for presidential candidate John Hospers.
Libertarians currently hold no seats in the House or Senate.
“Third parties are rarely competitive in any way, shape or form,” said political science professor James Garand.
Garand said third-party members run on issues they wish to eventually see supported by a larger party.
One example would be the Progressive Party in the 1920s and the Democrats’ adoption of their views, Garand said.
At the state level, third parties fare better, said Young Americans for Liberty president Kyle Aycock.
In Louisiana, state Legislative contender William David Chance won 21.9 percent of the vote in 2011 – not enough to be in the majority but more than Libertarians garnered in previous Louisiana elections.
“If we elect people who are ideologically third-party members as Republicans or Democrats, they could change laws to make it easier for third parties to be contenders.” Aycock said. “Unfortunately, that requires incredible foresight on the part of our politicians, which is not something they’re incredibly known for.”
Aycock and Garand both said the greatest block in the success of third parties is the laws that make it difficult for them to gain traction.
The Libertarian Party in Louisiana helped defeat a bill that would have forced all the Reform, Green and Libertarian Congressional candidates to appear on the general election ballot without a party primary.
Garand still doesn’t think of Johnson as a contender.
Accounting sophomore Lori Villavaso said she thinks third parties exist because “you can’t have people conform to just two choices.”
“It’s all about image,” said political science sophomore Adele Krieger. “At least it looks like they’re being represented.”
