Most viable third parties?

[AltWorlder]

I know that at present, one of the existing U.S. third parties unseating the big 2 is very unlikely.  Regardless, which of the 3rds are the most viable and likely to exist for the foreseeable future as the top ones?

I think it's the big 3- Libertarians, Greens, and Constitution.  I guess it makes sense because the Greens are a bit far left (and outright Socialist parties are immediately stigmatized in the U.S.), the Constitution Party is rather far right (albeit paleocon and theocon), and the Libertarians occupy one point of the political compass that isn't explicitly represented by the Dems or the GOP.  I think that there may be a Christian Democrat party in the future to occupy the opposite compass point, assuming the Republicans don't outright splinter a CDP out, but I'm guessing the Libs, Greens, and Cons will be here to stay.  The Reform Party basically broke up, and I'm not sure who's out there of note as far as third parties go.

[Meeker]

In terms of successful, I think that honor has to go to the Vermont Progressive Party at the current time. In terms of most potential to become mainstream, I'd give that honor to the Minnesota Independence Party.

I think the Libertarians and Greens will certainly be around for quite some time, and probably the Constitution Party as well. They seemed to be having some unity issues but they're mostly resolved now (or at least not as visible and obvious. We'll see how the convention goes).

[AltWorlder]

I think the two you named certainly get props for staying power, but I was thinking more about national parties for this thread.

[AltWorlder]

Slight alternate history question: What could have become the fourth (and fifth) major third parties in the U.S.?  Could the Reform Party have survived instead of being broken up?  I can't think of any other ones, but that page lists basically all of the big ones in the U.S.  I was going to suggest the Socialists, but they were pretty much tarred with the Cold War.

[HappyWarrior]

The Rooseveltian Progressive Party or the Populists had strong possibilities but just dropped as fast a they rose.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

The Rooseveltian Progressive Party or the Populists had strong possibilities but just dropped as fast a they rose.

The Populists stayed around for a while, but the Progressives died when TR did, and when the GOP nominated Hughes in 1916.

[Stranger in a strange land]

I'd say the Libertarians: they're definately the most organized, plus there's a chunk of the republican party they could appeal to if it keeps drifting towards becoming a theocratic party.

[Smid]

I think that any third party that wished to be successful should focus firstly on state politics and ignore federal for now. So many democrats seem to blame Nader for their result in 2000, that without IRV, I think too many people are scared to give their votes to a minor party and I think that consequently the minor parties can't do enough to gain media attention. I think a slightly socially conservative/economically left party could do well in some parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. If a party worked hard in that area and concentrated just on winning the seats it could win, it may be able to hold the balance of power in the state house if the House is finely balanced (such as in Pennsylvania). If it held the balance of power but used it wisely, it could certainly gain strength from there.