But she has remained in the political spotlight, and along with the other third-party candidates fought successfully to be included in two televised debates originally meant to feature only Romney and O’Brien.

Stein is currently polling at about 5 percent, but she rejects being labeled a spoiler candidate for the Democrat O’Brien.

She says the current state legislature is incapable of meaningful action and is heavily influenced by special interests.

“The biggest issue is breaking the stranglehold of big money and getting Beacon Hill back to work for the people of Massachusetts,” she says.

‘Small Government’

Howell, the Libertarian candidate, says she will veto any state budget larger than $14 billion.

This is the amount she says the state will have left to spend if Massachusetts voters vote “yes” on Question 1—her proposal to abolish the state income tax and cut off $9 billion in annual revenue. (The current state budget is $23 billion.)

“The only way we can create jobs in Massachusetts is by getting big government out of the way and dramatically cutting taxes,” she said at the debate. “Big government never creates jobs, it only spends our money and does so very poorly.”

Howell also says she wants to end all state funding for public education and give all control over schooling to local communities.

Fired-Up Independent

When Johnson’s motorcade pulls into campaign events, it consists of one vehicle: her very own red fire truck.

Driving the truck to and from her rallies is part of the 67-year-old independent candidate’s unconventional political strategy.

Johnson advocates decriminalizing personal drug use—though not drug dealing—and legalizing prostitution, which she argues will broaden the tax base.

She also supports repealing the income tax, which is on the ballot this year as Question 1.

—Staff writer Christopher M. Loomis can be reached at cloomis@fas.harvard.edu.