Third Party Candidates

The Bull Moose Party

When Theodore Roosevelt bolted the Republican Party in 1912, he and his supporters formed the Progressive Party. Progressives adopted a radical platform that comprised sweeping reforms.

Roosevelt once remarked to the press that he felt as fit as a bull moose, a simile his supporters eagerly embraced in choosing their lively mascot. The bull moose was an apt symbol for the vigorous new party. Roosevelt’s own personality corresponded well with the animal’s; his love of the wilderness and outdoor sports were legendary. The party united behind an anti-trust philosophy: government regulatory control, conservation of natural resources, and an interest in organized labor. After Roosevelt’s defeat in 1912, the Progressive Party lost much of its energy and momentum, but continues today to advocate a number of government reforms.

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