KENNETH  T. ZEMSKY

Pundits are abuzz with speculation that former NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg may mount a third party bid for the presidency. The question arises: Could such a bid be something other than a quixotic endeavor? Presidential election history suggests the task is daunting. There have only been three credible third party bids in the last century, 1912, 1968 and 1992. As an iconic former president and noted progressive, TR ate into Wilson’s progressive support and Taft’s establishment

As with so many things, the answer may lie with history. Consider Mike Huckabee who won the Iowa caucuses in 2008 and Rick Santorum who matched that feat in 2012. In 2016, both men garnered about 1% in the same state’s caucus, and shortly thereafter abandoned their quest for the nomination. To provide a Democratic illustration, in 1968, Gene McCarthy stunned the political world by garnering 42% of the New Hampshire primary vote against a sitting president, whom he helped forc

The above headline is not a knock on the Granite State. Rather it is an editorial on the value of a primary victory there. Just ask President Tsongas. Simply put, winning New Hampshire is not a guarantee of securing the nomination. Reviewing the last half century of primary results, there have been 16 contested races (8 in each party) where an incumbent president was not on the ballot. On the Democratic side the primary winner did not go on to take the nomination on four