Most viable third parties?

[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.