The Libertarian Party hopes to make some inroads into the political landscape this election season. Alex Merced is running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Democrat Chuck Schumer and Republican Wendy Long. Merced says this is a political year that may push people away from the two major political parties.

"Basically people are seeing that a lot of the ideas from both the major parties haven’t been working, aren’t working, and are looking for an alternative," Merced said, "and that alternative is growing."

Merced believes the libertarian party offers a place for conservatives that are opposed to big government, and for liberals looking for less government involvement in personal lives.

Merced said that so far, his name hasn’t been included in any polls of the race, but he notes that 14-percent of the electorate is undecided, which he takes as a sign that there is room for an alternative to the two major parties.

“It’s gotten to the point, where Republican Party candidates this year are endorsing me, the Libertarian Party candidate over the Republican candidate. So this is an unheard of year in politics. And the libertarian party is here to offer sanity when the other candidates are offering corruption and crazy,” Merced explained.

Libertarians are generally a party that is opposed to big government. Merced said Libertarian Party views coincide with many liberals and conservatives who are not in sync with the two major parties.