Politics1 Directory

Directory of 2026 U.S. Political Parties & Third Parties

Content

THE TWO MAJOR PARTIES

The United States political system is dominated by two major parties, though internal factions create a wide spectrum of views within each.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY (DNC)

The Democrats lost the White House and US Senate majority control in 2024, and lost the US House majority in 2022. Democrats now hold several key governorships, and are hoping for state and federal gains in the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats run the wide gamut from the near Euro-style democratic-socialist left (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Zohran Mamdani) and traditional mainstream liberals (Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren), to the pragmatic centrists (Josh Gottheimer, Jared Polis, Josh Shapiro, John Fetterman), to the "GOP-lite" style center-right (the Blue Dog Democrats). Find the 2026 Democratic isGovernor, US Senate, and Congressional candidates.

Affiliates:

DCCC DSCC DGA DLCC Young Dems College Dems

REPUBLICAN PARTY (RNC)

Republicans narrowly recaptured the US House in 2022, and regained the Presidency and US Senate control in 2024. However, the GOP also holds several key Governorships. The party includes traditional establishment conservatives, the "Religious Right," libertarians, old-style Reagan center-right, and Tea Party conservatives. Despite these factions, President Donald Trump's MAGA views hold nearly full control over the national party and the state parties, shifting the Republicans toward political nationalism and economic populism. Find the 2026 Republican Governor, US Senate, and Congressional candidates.

Affiliates:

NRCC NRSC RGA NFRW Young Reps College Reps

Note: To find independent and third-party candidates running in 2026, visit our various Senate and Governor candidate guides

THE "BIG TWO" THIRD PARTIES

GREEN PARTY OF THE US

Ideology: Environmentalism, Left-wing, Social Justice
2024 Presidential Nominee: Jill Stein (882,000 votes - 0.6%) .

The informal US-affiliate of the European Greens movement. The Greens support strict environmental protection laws, stronger labor rights, expanded social programs, and higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations. Qualified their presidential nominee in 38 states in 2024. The party regularly fields candidates for local, state, and federal offices in many states, and has established active state affiliate parties in nearly all states. Until 2001, the Greens were largely a collection of fairly autonomous state/local based political entities with only a weak (and sometimes splintered) national leadership structure that largely served to coordinate electoral activities. In 2001, the party officially converted into a formal, unified national party organization. The party's highwater mark came in 2000, when consumer advocate Ralph Nader was their presidential nominee and on the ballot in 44 states (3rd place - 2,878,000 votes - 2.7%).

Global Greens Young Ecosocialists Black Caucus Lavender Greens

LIBERTARIAN PARTY

Ideology: Libertarianism, Laissez-faire, Civil Liberties
2024 Presidential Nominee: Chase Oliver (650,000 votes - 0.4%) .

The LP, founded in 1971, bills itself as "America's largest third party." The Libertarians are neither left nor right: they believe in total individual liberty (pro-drug legalization, pro-gay marriage, pro-home schooling, pro-gun rights, etc.), total economic freedom (anti-welfare, anti-government regulation of business, anti-minimum wage, anti-tax, pro-free trade), elimination of most government agencies, a greatly reduced US military, and a foreign policy of free trade and isolationism. In the 2024 race, the Libertarians qualified their presidential nominee for the ballot in 47 states. Over 400 LP members currently hold various, though fairly low level, political offices. In 2020, retiring GOP US Rep Justin Amash (MI) changed his registration to Libertarian, making him the LP's only member to ever sit in Congress. The LP's biggest current problem: the schism between the radical Mises Caucus and the more traditional LP wing. The hardcore group are uncompromising anarchistic-libertarians in the Ludwig von Mises and Ayn Rand mold. By contrast, the traditionalists are interested in focusing on only a handful of more popular issues (drug decriminalization, gun rights, tax cuts, etc.) in exchange for attracting a larger number of voters. The party's highwater mark came in 2016 with former GOP New Mexico Gov Gary Johnson as the presidential nominee (3rd place - 3.3% - 4,487,700 votes).

Campus Libertarians LPedia Mises Caucus State Affiliates

ACTIVE SMALLER THIRD PARTIES

ALLIANCE PARTY

Ideology: Centrist, Reformist
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Formed in 2018 by fiscal conservative/social liberal centrists upset with political gridlock. Supports free trade, term limits, renewable energy,gay rights, liberal immigration, and fiscal responsibility. The party was formed by a merger of the Modern Whig Party, American Moderates Party, South Carolina American Party, NY Independence Party, and Florida Reform Party. After fielding a presidential candidate in 2020 (5th place - 88,200 votes), there was no real activity in the 2024 cycle.

AMERICAN SOLIDARITY PARTY

Ideology: Catholic Christian Democracy
2024 Presidential Nominee: Peter Sonski (45,700 votes - 0.03%).

Based on Catholic social teachings. Pro-life, anti-death penalty, pro-welfare, anti-gay marriage, anti-pornography, anti-war, pro-universal health care, pro-immigrant, and pro-environmental protection. The ASP also wants to cut income taxes on earned wages, while increasing taxes on investment income and corporations. Began fielding state and local candidates in 2020.

COMMUNIST PARTY USA

Ideology: Marxist-Leninist
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Established 1924. The CPUSA has not directly run any candidates since the late 1980s, but sometimes backs candidates in various local elections in Northeastern industrial communities. Classified Politburo records made public after the fall of the Soviet Union revealed the Soviets illegally funneled millions of dollars to the CPUSA from the 1920s to the 1980s. When the USSR money flow ended, they stopped fielding candidates. Under CPUSA leader Joe Sims, the party is back to its traditional far-left Marxist-Leninist stances.

CONSTITUTION PARTY

Ideology: Paleoconservatism, Religious Right
2024 Presidential Nominee: Randall Terry (41,400 votes - 0.03%)

Founded in 1992 as the US Taxpayers Party, and renamed as the Constitution Party in 1999. Strongly pro-life, anti-gun control, anti-tax, anti-immigration, trade protectionist, anti-United Nations, anti-gay rights, anti-welfare, and pro-school prayer. The party reliably fields a small number of state and congressional candidates in numerous states each election cycle.

FORWARD PARTY

Ideology: Centrist, Electoral Reform
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Founded in 2021 by 2020 Dem presidential hopeful Andrew Yang. Supports universal basic income, Ranked Choice Voting, open primaries, federal term limits, independent redistricting commissions, and recognizing online data as an individual property right. Beyond that, the party has no platform and espouses no set beliefs. In 2022, the Reagan-Bush alumni group Renew America Movement (RAM) and the independent Serve America Movement Party both folded into the Forward Party. As part of the merger, ex-Gov Christine Todd Whitman (R-NJ) joined Yang as co-chair of the party. In 2024, Forward fielded its first ballot-qualified candidates, and plans more in 2026.

FREEDOM SOCIALIST PARTY

Ideology: Revolutionary Trotskyist Feminist
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Formed in 1966 as a splinter group of dissident feminist Trotskyists who broke away from the Socialist Workers Party. Describe themselves as "revolutionary" and "dedicated to the replacement of capitalist rule." Occasionally fields a handful of local candidates in Washington, California, and New York (often in non-partisan elections). "Radical Women" is an alternate name used by the FSP. Only FSP presidential candidate was in 2012.

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES

Ideology: Across the spectrum.
2024 Presidential Candidates: Robert F Kennedy Jr (757,000 votes - 0.4%;) Cornel West (94,000 vores - 0.1%); others.

Candidates may also run as an Independent (to wit: independent of affiliation with any party). Depending on the state, these candidates are identified on the ballot as Independent, Unaffiliated, No Party Preference, or No Party Affiliation. Many candidates run as Independents every election cycle, for offices ranging from municipal to presidential races. Once in a while, Independents win. There are currently two Independents in the US Senate: Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine. Independents identify their own beliefs, so an independent candidate can be anywhere from the far left to the far right, and anywhere in between.

INDEPENDENT AMERICAN PARTY

Ideology: Conservative, Mormon-influenced
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Has existed for years in a few Western states, with an ideology grounded in conservative LDS/Mormon political beliefs. Most active chapters in Utah, Nevada. Similar to Constitution Party views. Routinely fields federal and state candidates in Utah and Nevada. IAP last fielded a presidential nominee in 2020 (815 votes). Since then, IAP leadership decided to focus non-presidential races as better platforms for spreading their message.

LIBERAL PARTY USA

Ideology: Classical Liberalism (Libertarianism)
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Splinter group formed in 2024 by four Libertarian state parties that broke away after the radical Mises Caucus won control of the national Libertarian Party. Advocates for "rights of individuals to life, liberty, property, expression." Party began fielding some federal and state candidates in 2024, and is focused on growing state chapters.

PARTY FOR SOCIALISM & LIBERATION

Ideology: Marxist-Leninist
2024 Presidential Nominee: Claudia De la Cruz (172,800 votes - 0.1%)

Formed in 2006 by a breakaway faction of the communist revolutionary wing of the Workers World Party. "We aim for revolution in the United States ... We want a revolution; and, we work hard to make it happen," PSL explained. The party is pro-Cuba, pro-China. Sponsors and/or directs numerous Marxist front groups including International Action Center, Congress of Resistance, ANSWER Coalition, and many others. Organizes frequent loud protests - that sometimes turn violent - in response to anything newsworthy. PSL's campaign website is VotePSL.org.

PEACE & FREEDOM PARTY

Ideology: Feminist Socialist, Marxist-Leninist
2024 Presidential Nominee: Gave their ballot line to PSL nominee Claudia De la Cruz.

Founded in the 1960s as a left-wing party opposed to the Vietnam War. Since the 1970s, the small party has been dominated by battling factions of Marxist-Leninists. These days, PFP is closely aligned with the Party for Socialism & Liberation. Since 2012, PFP has given the PSL nominee their presidential ballot line. Once a small national party, PFP these days only is active in California. The PFP continue to reliably field a handful of state and federal candidates each cycle in that state.

PIRATE PARTY

Ideology: Civil Liberties, Open Source
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

US affiliate of the European-based Pirate Parties International umbrella group, a global movement founded in 2006 with affiliates active in nearly 70 nations. Support protection of privacy and civil liberties, reform of copyright laws to reflect open source and free file sharing values, government transparency, rolling back corporate personhood and corporate welfare, and egalitarianism and meritocracy based on the hacker ethic. Began fielding a few candidates in 2012, but little ballot activity since then.

PROHIBITION PARTY

Ideology: Temperance, Christian Conservative
2024 Presidential Nominee: Michael Wood (1,144 votes - 0.0%).

"America's Oldest Third Party" (est. 1869). Conservative Christian social agenda, mixed with anti-drug and international anti-communist views, and liberal social welfare stances. Party also fields a few local candidates from time to time. Related site: Partisan Prohibition Historical Society.

REFORM PARTY

Ideology: Centrist, Populist
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Founded by billionaire businessman Ross Perot as vehicle for converting his independent movement into a permanent political party. As the Reform presidential nominee in 1996, Perot won 8,085,000 votes (8%). Donald Trump even briefly and unsuccessfully sought the party's 2000 presidential nomination. Once a major force, the party declined after years of infighting between populist, conservative and libertarian factions. Last fielded a national ticket in 2016. A few isolated state Reform Party entities remain marginally active, fielding random candidates (although some state Reform parties are now formally affiliates of the Alliance Party).

SOCIALIST PARTY USA

Ideology: Democratic Socialism
2024 Presidential Nominee: Bill Stodden (367 votes - 0.0%).

True democratic socialists. The anti-communist, democratic socialist heir to Eugene Debs. Advocates for left-wing electoral change, not militant revolutionary overthrow. Founded in 1900, the Socialists were the nation's leading third party in the 1910s. The SP also elected congressmen, mayors, and other officials during the 1910s through 1950s. By the early 1970s, the remnants of Debs' original Socialist Party of America splintered into three rival groups: SPUSA, the Democratic Socialists of America, and the Social Democrats of America. Related sites: Socialist National Committee / VoteSocialist.org, Young People's Socialist League, and The Socialis newsletter.

SOCIALIST ACTION

Ideology: Trotskyist
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Trotskyist political party of "revolutionary socialists" originally founded in 1983 by expelled members of the Socialist Workers Party. SA is pro-Cuba. Party says they "oppose all capitalist political parties, and all capitalist governments ... [and] Stalinist and neo-Stalinist regimes from the ex-Soviet Union to China." SA fielded a write-in presidential nominee in 2016 and 2020. Related sites: Youth for Socialist Action and VoteSocialistAction.

SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE

Ideology: Trotskyist
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Founded 1986 and originally named the Labor Militant. The party is the US member of the Committee for a Workers' International (CWI), an international association of Trotskyist political paries from nearly 50 nations. SocAlt is not as radical as some Marxist parties, as they espouse democratic socialism and have formed alliances of convenience with non-socialists (usually the Green Party) for political advantage. Supports a $15 national minimum wage, universal free health care, guaranteed $500/week minimum income for all, public ownership of major banks, forcing bankrupt companies into public ownership, free college education, and slashing the military budget. Kshama Sawant was elected to Seattle City Council in 2013 - and twice reelected - as a SocAlt candidate. Chapters in roughly a dozen states

SOCIALIST EQUALITY PARTY

Ideology: Trotskyist
2024 Presidential Nominee: Joseph Kishore (4,659 votes - 0.0%).

Founded 1966 as the Workers League, and renamed SEP in 1994. Trotskyist communist party which belongs to the International Committee of the Fourth International (the global Trotskyist umbrella network). Fields congressional candidates, mainly in MI and OH. Sees elections as an opportunity to "present a socialist alternative to the demagogy and lies of the establishment parties and the mass media." Publishes the World Socialist Web Site, a Trotskyist news service.

SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY

Ideology: Communism (Pro-Cuba)
2024 Presidential Nominee: Rachel Fruit (4,131 votes - 0.0%).

Formed in 1938 when the Stalinist leadership of Communist Party expelled the Trotskyist faction. Since the 1980s, the SWP rapidly shifted away from Trotskyism and embraced the brand of authoritarian communist politics espoused by the old Soviet Union and former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro (the SWP site describes communist Cuba "a shining example for all workers"). Requires members to take blue collar jobs to better advocate for a worker-based communist class struggle. Has run candidates for President in every election since 1948, plus many federal, state and local candidates nationwide.

UNITY PARTY

Ideology: Centrist, Progressive
2024 Presidential Nominee: Gave their ballot line to independent candidate Cornel West.

The party had a centrist origin, but now split into centrist and progressive factions. Fielding candidates since 2006, mostly in Colorado. Since 2020, the party working to expand beyond Colorado. Now has chapters in several states. The two rival factions: American Unity Party (progressive) vs Unity Party of America (centrist)

WORKERS WORLD PARTY

Ideology: Marxist-Leninist
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Formed in 1959 by pro-Chinese communist faction that split from Socialist Workers Party. Largely issue-oriented revolutionary party until they fielded first candidate for president in 1980. FBI Director called the WWP in 2001 an extremist group with international ties responsible for rioting and street violence. That more violent faction broke off in 2006 to form the PSL. The WWP today is a "revolutionary Marxist-Leninist party dedicated to organizing and fighting for a socialist revolution." Not fielded a presidential ticket since 2016. Related site: Workers World.

WORKING CLASS PARTY

Ideology: Socialist, Anti-Capitalist
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Founded 2016 as a socialist, anti-capitalist, anti-racist party which asserts "working people need our own party, a party of our whole class, built around the conviction that the working class and the employing class have nothing in common." Fields candidates and established state chapters in Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, Illinois. Focuses on militant unionism. Seems to disdain elections: "The working class cannot solve its problems through elections ... Elections were not the end goal of these candidates, only the beginning."

WORKING FAMILIES PARTY

Ideology: Progressive, Labor
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Founded in 1998 by coalition of New York labor unions. Later expanded. By 2008, the WFP obtained ballot access and nominated congressional candidates in New York, Connecticut, and Oregon. The WFP essentially operates as a "fusion" party which co-nominates Democratic candidates to push a pro-labor, progressive agenda. Endorsed Bernie Sanders for President in 2016 and Elizabeth Warren in 2020.

YANKEE NATIONAL PARTY

Ideology: Regional Secessionist
2024 Presidential Nominee: None.

Movement for New England/Northeast independence. Social democratic "anti-fascist and anti-racist," views. Focused on New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. The party seeks a break away from the US and form a new nation for this region. Loosely affiliated with the New England Independence Campaign and the California National Party. In 2025, YNP endorsed two local candidates in MA, and fielded one local candidate in CT.

Parties That Have Yet to Field Candidates (click to expand)