Best Showings for State Legislatures for the Nationally-Organized Minor Parties

The only nationally-organized minor parties that had state legislative candidates on the ballot in more than a single state (with their party label on the ballot) are the Constitution, Green, and Libertarian Parties.

At the November 2008 election, the Green Party elected one state legislator in Arkansas, Richard Carroll. Other impressive showings by Green Party legislative candidates occurred in Maine and Minnesota. In Maine, four Greens outpolled their Republican opponents. They are William S. Linnell, who polled 22.27% in the 8th State Senate district; Michael Hiltz, who polled 30.09% in the 115th House district; Daniel Jenkins, who polled 25.47% in the 119th district; and Sandy Amborn, who polled 30.20% in the 120th district. In Minnesota, Farheen Hakeem also outpolled her Republican opponent. She got 30.4% in House district 61B.

The Constitution Party had no state legislative candidates with both a Republican and a Democratic opponent who polled as much as 10%. The highest showing for that type of race was made by Benton Petersen in Utah’s 24th State Senate district, with 9.45%. However, the Constitution Party had two candidates with impressive percentages in races with only a single major party opponent. They were both in Nevada. Janine Hansen polled 34.75% in the Rural Nevada State Senate district (that is the official name of that particular Senate district; it has no number). Also Zachery Triggs polled 30.47% in the 33rd Assembly district.

The Libertarian Party’s best legislative showings were in New Hampshire and Indiana. Rex Bell, in Indiana’s 54th State House district, polled 33.49% in a race with only a single major party opponent. In New Hampshire, exact percentages are not available today because the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s webpage has been down for the last two days. But it appears that Lisa Wilber, in the Hillsborough 7th State House district, polled approximately 28% in a race with a full slate of Democratic and Republican opponents. Check back later for the exact percentage. Other New Hampshire Libertarian state house candidates with a full set of opponents from both major parties who surpassed 10% include Morey Straus in the Hillsboro 11th district, Richard Tomasso in the Hillsboro 17th district, Matthew Kahn in the Hillsboro 27th district, and Brendan Kelly in the Rockingham 14th district. Outside of New Hampshire, Libertarian legislative candidates in races with both a Democrat and a Republican who surpassed 10% are Sheri Stearns in the Kansas 43rd House district, with 12.35%; and Pamela J. Brown in California’s 40th Assembly district, with 14.76%.


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Best Showings for State Legislatures for the Nationally-Organized Minor Parties — No Comments

  1. I heard Janine Hansen was campaigning very hard in her district. It looks like her work paid off, even though she did not win.

  2. Lisa Wilber polled 2242 votes. Which is 3.05% if you poll each candidate separately, or around 24.4% since there were 8 winners in this district.

    There were some candidates who were Libertarian/Republican in Vermont and New Hampshire.

    But a combo of the LPNY being flaccid and the Republican Party in New York State is only totally toast in 4 of 5 Boroughs. That, and Wilson-Pakula, and signature requirements.

  3. In Vermont last year there was only one Libertarian running for the legislature who also won the Republican nomination. He was Kelly Todd, but he only got 14.94%. There was also a Republican running with a cross-endorsement from the Vermont Libertarian Party, but I don’t consider that to be a Libertarian candidate.

    In New Hampshire last year there were no legislative candidates on the general election ballot who were on as both Libertarian and Republican.

  4. In CT Jim Farrel got 9.8% of the vote in a three way race with the Democrat incumbent and a petitioning candidate who ran as the Republican in that same race two years ago. Jim finished second in that race. He was the candidate of Constitution Party affiliate.

  5. I didn’t include Jim Farrell, because no Republican nominee was on the ballot in his race in 2008. In any event, the independent candidate in that race in 2008, Samuel Zotto, got fewer votes than Farrell did, so this race probably was perceived as a completely safe seat for the Democrat. It is interesting that Samuel Zotto was the Republican nominee for this seat in 2006, yet in 2008 there was no Republican nominee and Zotto ran as an independent. Thank you.

  6. I talked to Zotto before the election and he actually believed that running as a petitionimg candidate not a Repulican would help him. There was no ‘falling out’ with the Republican party according to him.

  7. I’m confused on Wilber in NH. How could she get 3% yet 24%? Is this something to do with the voting procedure?

    Thanks…

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