Most 3rd party/independent state

[Kevinstat]

I don't know what's going on with Independents and 3rd parties in Minnesota and Vermont right now, which I would see as the leading contenders to Maine as the most 3rd party/Independent state of recent, but I'd go with Maine becuase I didn't hear much (or anything) about the Progressive Party of Vermont in 2004 (although I didn't follow politics in that state at all last year).  While Maine's one Green Independent state Representative was re-elected by 10+% last November against another incumbent (although this district did favor the Green Independent who had moved from the district he was drawn into in 2003) and several other Green Independent candidates for state Representative in Portland had strong showings (coming in second in every other district besides the two where they didn't field a candidate), only one Independent (not counting the Green) state Representative (an incumbent with only one opponent who seems to have an understanding with the Democratic Party) and no Independent or Green Independent state Senators were elected.  Only five Independent or 3rd party candidates ran for the Maine Senate, with the best performing candidate receiving 14% of the vote.  And President Bush and John Kerry combined to receive 98.1% of the vote for President in Maine.  Unless the law is changed, the Green Independent Party will have to field a candidate for Governor who receives 5% of the vote in order to remain a party with official ballot status (otherwise all their enrolled voters will be reclassified as Unenrolled voters).  They should be able to clear that hurdle, but it may be a tough enough hurdle to clear that they're not able to put much effort into their candidates' campaigns for the Legislature.  I think the Maine Green Independent Party will survive as an official party for the time being, but I think they have reached their peak and will eventually decline.  And while Maine still has the ingredients to elect an Independent Governor, I don't think it will happen in 2006.  It's tough to tell what will happen in legislative races.  Just 2 Independent/3rd party legislators seems low for Maine; I wouldn't find it unreasonable for 5 state Representatives and a state Senator or two to be elected in 2006, but I also wouldn't find it unreasonable for just 1 Independent/3rd party state Representative to be elected.

Sincerely,

Kevin Lamoreau