Smart Politics Tallies Third Party and Independent Vote Totals

From Eric Ostermeier at Smart Politics:

A Smart Politics review of 2010 U.S. House election data finds that the 16.1 percent won by Traficant in his 17th CD race in Ohio was the best showing by an independent or third party candidate in districts contested by both Republican and Democratic candidates. And he did it without spending a dime. . . .

Only three other independent or third party candidates who squared off against both Democratic and Republican candidates reached double digits.

After Traficant, the next best showing was turned in by Dan Hill, a conservative who was nominated by petition in Nebraska's 3rd CD race.
• Hill received 12.0 percent - just 5.9 points behind Democrat Rebekah Davis (17.9 percent) in a race easily won by Republican incumbent Adrian Smith.
• In Florida's 12th CD, Tea Party candidate Randy Wilkinson won 10.7 percent in an open seat race won by Republican Dennis Ross.
• In Tennessee's open 3rd CD contest, independent Savas Kyriakidis won 10.5 percent in a district won by Republican Chuck Fleischmann.

Ten independent and third party candidates scored better than Traficant's 16.2 percent, although none of them faced two major party candidates in their respective races.

Nine ran in districts without a Democrat on the ballot:
· FL-06: Independent Steve Schonberg (28.5 percent)
· OK-01: Independent Angelia O'Dell (23.2 percent)
· FL-04: Independent Troy Stanley (22.8 percent)
· MO-09: Libertarian Christopher Dwyer (22.3 percent)
· LA-05: Independent Tom Gibbs (21.4 percent)
· TX-24: Libertarian David Sparks (18.4 percent)
· TX-07: Libertarian Bob Townsend (18.0 percent)
· TX-31: Libertarian Bill Oliver (17.5 percent)
· AL-01: Constitution Party candidate David Walter (16.9 percent)

One other independent candidate, Bob Jeffers-Schroder in WA-07, ran in a disrict without a Republican on the ballot, winning 17.0 percent.

It remains to be seen whether Traficant, who will turn 70 next year, has run for political office for the last time.