I have spent the last couple of days compiling information on the top 10 independent or third-party candidates in the country in 2008. For obvious reasons, this list had to have very specific criterion, otherwise it would have been far too expansive and far too hard to rank. So this list is specifically for candidates vying for federal or state-wide office, excepting the Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidates. I may revisit this idea at a later date in order to compile and rank a list of third party candidates at the local level. Now for the list.

10.) Dave Brownlow (Constitution) is vying for the US Senate seat in Oregon. Brownlow is the vice-chair of the Constitution Party of Oregon and the latest polls have him sitting at 8%. Brownlow had previously been joined on the ballot by John Frohnmayer, former Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. Frohnmayer, who had been polling as high as 14%, dropped out of the race recently. Brownlow is the former National Director of Life Advocates and the former Director of Life Support Oregon. I have no statistics on how much Brownlow has raised.

9.) Don Elijah Eckhart is running as an Independent in Ohio’s 15th Congressional District. Mr. Eckhart is a retired state legislative budget analyst and was recently endorsed by the Ohio Right to Life Committee. A recent poll pegged his support at 7%. He has previously run for US Senate in Ohio and scored 9%. Eckhart has raised $10,000 so far.

8.) Michael Hsing is an Independent running for New Jersey’s 7th District Congressional seat. Hsing is a two-term councilman from Bridgwater, New Jersey. Hsing is a former Republican who has raised roughly $115,000 as of June 30th. No polling numbers are yet available for Hsing.

7.) Robert Owens is an Independent running for Attorney General in Ohio. This is a special election triggered by the resignation of the last Attorney General. Owens is persueing a true fusion campaign. He is the current chairman of the Constitution Party of Ohio, so naturally he has their endorsement. However, he has also garnered the endorsements of the Reform Party of Ohio, the Libertarian Party of Ohio, the Ohio Campaign for Liberty, and the Ohio Freedom Alliance. I have very little information on how much he has raised thus far, but have recieved reliable information saying that he raised $13,000 just last week.

6.) Jack Kevorkian is running as an Independent in Michigan’s 9th District. The doctor, famous for his assisted suicides in the late 80′s and early 90′s, is recently out of prison and running for office. He took petitions out with his local county clerk, but no news has surfaced since March 12th. He has no website, no fundraising to date, and I’m not sure if he is even petitioning. If he is on the ballot, I’ve no doubt he’ll get plenty of support from Right-to-Die advocates all over the country.

G.E. is going to bring the top 5 to you guys in a similar format. Be patient, and feel free to offer your own suggestions and criticism.