Third party officeholders in the United States

Third-party officeholders in the United States have been rare during the country's existence. Since 1856, the United States has had two major political parties: The Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The list below includes anyone who, while holding office as a U.S. Senator since the beginning of the Reconstruction era, was affiliated with a third party. Linked below are similar lists of U.S. Representatives, governors, and state legislators.

Third-party members of the United States Senate

Senator	State	Electoral history	Years in office
Joseph S. Fowler	Tennessee	Elected as an Unconditional Unionist in 1866, became a Republican by 1867	1866–1871
David T. Patterson	Tennessee	Elected as a Unionist in 1866, became a Republican by 1867	1866–1869
Charles Sumner	Massachusetts	Elected as Free Soil Democratic in 1851, became a Republican in 1855, then became a Liberal Republican in 1872	1851–1874
Morgan C. Hamilton	Texas	Switched from Republican to Liberal Republican in 1872, switched back to Republican in 1875	1870–1877
Orris S. Ferry	Connecticut	Elected as a Liberal Republican in 1872	1867–1875
Newton Booth	California	Elected as an Anti-Monopolist, served as an Ind. Republican	1875–1881
William Mahone	Virginia	Elected as a Readjuster	1881–1887
Harrison H. Riddleberger	Virginia	Elected as a Readjuster	1883–1889
William A. Peffer	Kansas	Elected as a Populist	1891–1897
Marion Butler	North Carolina	Elected as a Populist	1895–1901
James H. Kyle	South Dakota	Elected as a Populist	1891–1901
William V. Allen	Nebraska	Elected as a Populist	1893–1901
William M. Stewart	Nevada	Switched from Republican to Silver in 1893, then back to Republican in 1901	1887–1905
John P. Jones	Nevada	Switched from Republican to Silver in 1895, then back to Republican in 1901	1873–1903
Lee Mantle	Montana	Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896	1895–1899
Richard F. Pettigrew	South Dakota	Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896	1889–1901
Frank J. Cannon	Utah	Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896	1896–1899
Fred Dubois	Idaho	Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896	1891–1897
Henry Moore Teller	Colorado	Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896, then to Democratic in 1903	1876–1909
William A. Harris	Kansas	Elected as a Populist	1897–1903
Henry Heitfeld	Idaho	Elected as a Populist	1897–1903
Joseph M. Dixon	Montana	Switched from Republican to Progressive in 1912	1907–1913
Miles Poindexter	Washington	Switched from Republican to Progressive in 1912, switched back to Republican in 1915	1911–1923
Henrik Shipstead	Minnesota	Elected as Farmer-Labor, switched to Republican in 1940	1923–1947
Magnus Johnson	Minnesota	Elected as Farmer-Labor	1923–1925
Robert M. La Follette	Wisconsin	Switched from Republican to Progressive in 1934, then back to Republican in 1946	1925–1947
Elmer Austin Benson	Minnesota	Elected as Farmer-Labor	1935–1936
Ernest Lundeen	Minnesota	Elected as Farmer-Labor	1937–1940
James L. Buckley	New York	Elected as a Conservative, lost re-election as a Republican in 1976	1971–1977
Dean Barkley	Minnesota	Appointed for Independence Party of Minnesota	2002–2003
Joe Lieberman	Connecticut	Re-elected on the Connecticut for Lieberman ticket after losing the 2006 Democratic nomination.	1989–2013

Third-party members of the United States House of Representatives

Third-party United States governors

Main article: List of third party and independent United States state governors

Third-party members of state legislatures in the United States

Main article: Third-party members of state legislatures of the United States

References