Reply #4: New York is different. [View All]

[SadEagle]

In New York, the same candidate can run on multiple party lines. So you often see Republicans running as Republican + Conservative (and now also Independence , since they've practically hijacked that party), which many democrats are often listed as both Democratic and Working Families candidates. (There also used to be a Liberal party, but it really collapsed in 2002 when they ran Andrew Cuomo, who withdrew from the democratic primary, for governor). A lot of WFP's electoral standing came from people voting for people like Hillary Clinton and Carl McCall and their ballot line.

So this isn't really quite as simple as the Greens and similar parties, as there is a lot of balancing they have to do in order to not tick off more loyal dems, while sometimes challenging the Democratic party in safe liberal districts, where no republican would set their foot. (I see a bit of a reverse image in my hometown: it's so right-wing that all the races are between the Republicans and the Conservatives. Ouchie)