He said that if Mr. Dole did not adopt some of his ideas on trade and other issues, the Senator would probably face a third-party challenge.

Nixon limped into office in 1968 with only 43 percent of the vote, owing to a fierce third-party challenge by George Wallace.

Also highlighted is his complicated relationship with his fellow Democrat, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, against whom he intended to mount a third-party challenge in 1936.

The emergence of the Alliance posed the most formidable third-party challenge to the Labour/Conservative duopoly since the multi-partyism of the 1920s.

France and Belgium face third-party challenges, while Christian Democrats in France and Germany are engulfed in scandals.

"When a party doesn't stand for anything, you end up with these strong third-party challenges," said Howard Wolfson, a Democratic strategist.

One can only hope the extremists follow through on their threat of a third-party challenge.

And there was talk among some Republican conservatives of mounting third-party challenges as a protest against Mr. Bush.

Mr. Vrdolyak, who mounted an unsuccessful third-party challenge to Mr. Washington in the mayoral contest last April, could not be reached immediately for further comment.

Campbell faced a strong third-party challenge from American Independent Party candidate Jim Gilchrist.