All Nationally-Organized Parties Have Fewer U.S. House Candidates This Year Than in 2012

All nationally-organized political parties, major and minor, have fewer nominees for U.S. House this year than in 2012. Counting the 435 regular seats plus the District of Columbia Delegate seat, the 2014 numbers are: Democrats 400; Republicans 395; Libertarian 122; Green 43: Constitution 13; other parties 38; and 82 independent candidates.

By contrast, in 2012, the numbers were: Republicans 415; Democrats 404; Libertarians 137; Green 59; Constitution 22; other parties 22; and 104 independent candidates. These figures only include candidates who are on the ballot and do not include write-in candidates.

2014 is the first congressional election in which no party with “socialist” in its name is on the ballot for any congressional race. This is a true statement going back to 1890, the first year any state used government-printed ballots in a congressional election.

When a party has more than a single candidate in a particular race, that is still counted as one.