As for state legislatures, the lone Libertarian lawmaker is running as a Republican in Vermont, and the Greens' only legislator in California quit the party to run as an independent. The Reform Party's only state representative is in North Carolina. But this year could bring a higher profile. Greens are running 81 legislative candidates, four times as many as in the last election. Libertarians predict a dozen competitive legislative races, particularly in Nevada, Colorado and Connecticut.
Supporters say the time is ripe for a third-party movement.
The two parties fail to answer the electorate's desires, they say. He envisions a new coalition party that forces the Republicans and Democrats to merge. Others say third-party advocates are overreaching. The economy is too strong and no third party has made enough significant gains yet, said Cal Jillson, chairman of political science at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. The last successful third party, he said, was the Republicans, who built on the rift over slavery, then won a series of elections before Abraham Lincoln's victory in 1860.