Have most states had a third party win them at least once?

[TommyC1776]

Have they?

[True Democrat]

The red/pink states have voted third party since 1856:

Pink=1 time.
Red=2 times.
Dark Red=3 times.

That amounts to 26 states, which is a majority, but not MOST states.

If you include Senatorial and Gubernatorial elections, I have a feeling it would be higher.

[Boris]

The red/pink states have voted third party since 1856:

Pink=1 time.
Red=2 times.
Dark Red=3 times.

That amounts to 26 states, which is a majority, but not MOST states.

Are you counting the Southern Democrats Party in 1860 (led by Vice President John Breckenridge) as a third party?

[Nym90]

Well by definition most have, since most=a majority. But not by much of a majority.

[DWPerry]

By definition the Republican Party is a "third party" since they challenged the Whigs and Democrats in the mid-1800's.
So, technically every State has gone to a "third party".

[Nym90]

By definition the Republican Party is a "third party" since they challenged the Whigs and Democrats in the mid-1800's.
So, technically every State has gone to a "third party".

Perhaps, although since the Whigs no longer exist, I'd say the Republicans replaced them as the new "second party". While the Whigs were still in existence I would agree with your definition.

[NewFederalist]

The Republicans and Whigs never existed at the same time so the Republicans were never really a third party.

If you check the records of the U.S. Senate you will find that is not technically correct. There were Whigs in the Senate through 1857.

[Bacon King]

The Republicans and Whigs never existed at the same time so the Republicans were never really a third party.

If you check the records of the U.S. Senate you will find that is not technically correct. There were Whigs in the Senate through 1857.

True, but those were just the residual Whig Senators left over after the party had already imploded.