About The Liberal Party

The Liberal Party of New York State is the longest existing third party in the history of the Untited States. It was founded in 1944 as an alternative to a state Democratic Party dominated by local party machines rife with corruption and a Republican Party controlled by special interests.

The Liberal Party has a history of nominating candidates on the basis of merit, independence and progressive viewpoints, regardless of party affiliations. Past Liberal Pary nominees have included such distinguished public servants as Governors Averell Harriman, Hugh Carey and Mario Cumo, US Senators Robert Wagner, Sr., Herbert Lehman, Jacob Javits, Robert Kennedy and Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and New York City Mayors Fiorello LaGuardia, Robert Wagner, John Lindsay and Rudolh G. Giuliani.

The Liberal Party provided key support in Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1944 victory in New York State. In 1960, the party's 406,000 votes for John F. Kennedy provided his margin of victory in New York State, and the states 43 electoral college votes ultimatley provided his national margin of victory.

In the '40's and ''50's, the Liberal Party pioneered rent control and consumer protection legislation for the state. In the 1960's the party initiated the suit in the United States Supreme Court for congressional reapportionment, one immediate result of which was the election of Shirley Chisholm, the nations first African-American congresswoman.

Today the Liberal Party remains an influential force in New York politics, and is continuing in its tradition of supporting aspirants for office who are both progressive in their ideas and capable of meeting the challenge of providing good government.

The Liberal Party beleives that a civilized society respects the rights of all its citizens and guarentees their basic needs.

All Amercans, regardless of class, race, ethnicity, gendor or sexual orientation, must be equal under the law and have access to affordable medical, shelter and a safe and healthy environment.

We believe the government has a role to play in protecting the environment and improving the quality of life for its people when the private sector is unwilling to or incapable of doing so.

For more information on where the Liberal Party stands on specific issues, please click here