<P> The Progressive Party was a third party in the United States formed in 1912 by former President Theodore Roosevelt after he lost the presidential nomination of the Republican Party to his former protégé, incumbent President William Howard Taft . The new party was known for taking advanced positions on progressive reforms and attracting some leading reformers . After the party's defeat in the 1912 presidential election, it went into rapid decline, disappearing by 1918 . The Progressive Party was nicknamed the "Bull Moose Party" after journalists quoted Roosevelt saying that he felt "fit as a bull moose" following an assassination attempt on the campaign trail shortly after the new party was formed . </P> <P> As a member of the Republican Party, Roosevelt had served as President from 1901 to 1909, becoming increasingly progressive in the later years of his presidency . In the 1908 presidential election, Roosevelt helped ensure that he would be succeeded by Secretary of War Taft . After Taft took office, he hewed closer to the conservative wing of the party and this and other actions alienated Roosevelt from his former friend . Progressive Republican leader Robert La Follette had already announced a challenge to Taft for the 1912 Republican nomination, but many of his supporters shifted to Roosevelt after the former President decided to seek a third presidential term, which was permissible under the Constitution prior to the ratification of the Twenty - second Amendment . At the 1912 Republican National Convention, Taft narrowly defeated Roosevelt for the party's presidential nomination . After the convention, Roosevelt, Frank Munsey, George Walbridge Perkins and other progressive Republicans established the Progressive Party and nominated a ticket of Roosevelt and Hiram Johnson of California at the 1912 Progressive National Convention . The new party attracted several Republican officeholders, although nearly all of them remained loyal to the Republican Party--in California, Johnson and the Progressives took control of the Republican Party . </P> <P> The party's platform built on Roosevelt's Square Deal domestic program and called for several progressive reforms . The platform asserted that "to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day". Proposals on the platform included restrictions on campaign finance contributions, a reduction of the tariff and the establishment of a social insurance system, an eight - hour workday and women's suffrage . The party was split on the regulation of large corporations, with some party members disappointed that the platform did not contain a stronger call for "trust - busting". Party members also had different outlooks on foreign policy, with pacifists like Jane Addams opposing Roosevelt's call for a naval build - up . </P> <P> In the 1912 election, Roosevelt won 27.4% of the popular vote compared to Taft's 23.2%, making Roosevelt the only third party presidential nominee to finish with a higher share of the popular vote than a major party's presidential nominee . Both Taft and Roosevelt finished behind Democratic nominee Woodrow Wilson, who won 41.8% of the popular vote and the vast majority of the electoral vote . The Progressives elected several Congressional and state legislative candidates, but the election was marked primarily by Democratic gains . The 1916 Progressive National Convention was held in conjunction with the 1916 Republican National Convention in hopes of reunifying the parties with Roosevelt as the presidential nominee of both parties . The Progressive Party collapsed after Roosevelt refused the Progressive nomination and insisted his supporters vote for Charles Evans Hughes, the moderately progressive Republican nominee . Most Progressives joined the Republican Party, but some converted to the Democratic Party and Progressives like Harold L. Ickes would play a role in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration . In 1924, La Follette established another Progressive Party and a third Progressive Party would be established in 1948 under the leadership of Henry A. Wallace . </P>

When might a major political party support a minor party candidate for president