Independent Candidates Quotes

As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic mayor in Burlington, Vermont, I know something about third party politics. And I respect Jill [Stein].

My problem anywhere is the damn Republicans closed out the independents from being able to vote in the primary.

I do think there is every potential in 2010 and 2012 to begin to see independent candidates who are capturing a significant percentage of the vote and even win.

Don't vote for a Democrat or Republican, I have never voted for one in my life and I never will.

It's nice to have a lot of people in the field. Independent, third party, Libertarian, Reform and other party candidates can do what they want to do. I welcome them to the race.

Third parties in America gravitate not only to the extremes, but to irrelevance. (John Anderson's upcoming presidential campaign will undoubtedly confirm both tendencies.)

I’m against parties. Take the party designations from the ballot and make politicians run on their names only.

Donald Trump wins 2,623 counties and Hillary Clinton with 489. You know how many counties independents won? Zero. Just like they always have. Not one county. Independents did not win one county. The exception to that, 1992 when Ross Perot won 15. The independents don't win anything. That's why I've always - the precious independents and the moderates and so forth. So much bohunk out there.

Third party politics, at least since La Follette, has always had an element of romance.

I don't feel like it's a wasted vote because I think it encourages more people like that to run. I vote for the candidates that aren't bought and paid for like the Clintons.

I'm a firm believer that if we could restore real parliamentary democracy, the best way to do that would be to get rid of political parties.