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Political newcomer and the South Carolina Green Party's nominee for governor, Dr. Morgan Bruce Reeves has brought his grassroots campaign to Charleston. . . . One of Reeves' top issues is education reform to help children succeed in the future. He said he wants a major overhaul of the current system, putting kids in school year-round with four breaks during the school year. "The year-round school will eliminate a lot of children going into the streets, becoming gang members, and going to jail," Reeves said.
Jun 30, 2010
SC: Green Candidate for Governor Pushes Education Reform, Calls for "Year-Round" School Year
From WIS 10:
NY: Green Gov Candidate Opposes Mayoral Power Grab
From the Democrat and Chronicle:
A third-party candidate for governor stated his opposition to mayoral control of Rochester schools on Monday and said that, if the public wants it, the issue should be put to a vote. Howie Hawkins, who is running on the Green Party ticket, stood outside the Monroe County Social Services building to express his opposition to the proposed change in school governance and to talk about the state budget.A bill that would allow the mayor and City Council to take over control of the Rochester School District and abolish the school board passed the Assembly last week and is the subject of debate in the Senate.
IL: Republican Challeges Ballot Access Petititons of ALL Third Party and Independent Slates
From Ballot Access News:
June 28 was the deadline for objections to be filed against Illinois petitions for the nominees of unqualified parties, and for independent candidates. All of the statewide minor party and independent petitions have been challenged, including the statewide petitions of the Libertarian and Constitution Parties.
The Green Party is not subject to worries about petition challenges, because it is a qualified party and already nominated its candidates in the February 2010 primary. The challenger against the Libertarian and Constitution slates is Sharon Ann Meroni of Barrington Hills. She is also the only person who objected to the independent gubernatorial petition of Scott Lee Cohen. To the extent that Meroni is associated with the Republican Party (which she is), it is puzzling that she also challenged Cohen’s petition, because Cohen is an independent Democrat.
AZ: Independent Registration Surges, Voters Eschew Party Labels
From ABC 15 News:
According to new figures, Arizona added nearly 27,000 new registered voters over the last six weeks. The independent party made the biggest leap, adding 14,716 new voters. Arizona’s four recognized political parties all saw an increase in numbers. The Republican party gained 7,852 voters, Democrats 3,879, Libertarian 322 and the Green party grew by 121.
TX: Is Petititoning an Administrative Expense? Dems Continue Fight to Keep Greens off Ballot
From the Dallas Morning News:
Democratic Party lawyers asked the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday to keep the Green Party off the ballot, saying its officers knew they were accepting illegal help from Republicans to field candidates. In its argument to the high court, the Democratic Party said an out-of-state corporation with GOP ties bankrolled a petition drive to put the Green Party on the November ballot in violation of state law. Corporations are forbidden from contributing to political parties except to pay for administrative expenses.
The Green Party contends its signature-gathering effort – spearheaded by an out-of-state GOP operative and funded with $532,000 from an undisclosed source – was an administrative expense. Last week, a district judge blocked the Green Party from the fall ballot, and the case was appealed to the Texas Supreme Court.
Jun 29, 2010
OH: Socialist Candidate for US Senate Appears on Local Newsmakers Program
Cincinnati's Local 12 WKRC television program Newsmakers recently interviewed Socialist candidate for US Senate Dan La Botz. Needless to say, it is not every day that you see television news programs of any sort sit down for a fifteen minute interview with a Socialist candidate for any office. The host, Dan Hurley, queried La Botz on the claim that President Obama is a socialist, the meaning of socialism, what a socialist model of government would look like in the United States, and the relation between socialism and communism, among other things.
VA: Independent Speaks to Tea Party Group in CD-5
From GoDan River:
The independent candidate running against U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Ivy, and GOP nominee Robert Hurt faced some skeptical questions Thursday from members of the Jefferson Area Tea Party.Several members of the Charlottesville-area conservative group told Jeff Clark - a Danville resident and Tea Party member himself - that they are worried his candidacy will split the conservative vote on Nov. 2 and deliver a victory to Perriello.. . .
“We have to put our foot down, draw a line in the sand and say ‘No more!‘“ said Eugene Scott of Earlysville. “If [Clark’s candidacy] causes Tom Perriello to be re-elected, so be it. It also causes a revolution in the Republican Party.“Supporting Hurt, Clark argued, would be a compromise. Sacrificing conservative principles to back a GOP nominee simply to beat a Democratic incumbent, he said, is “no victory at all.“
“Patrick Henry did not say ‘Give me liberty or give me someone I can live with,‘“ Clark said.. . .
Carole Thorpe, chairwoman of the Jefferson Area Tea Party, said she has invited all three candidates to appear at the nonpartisan group’s monthly meeting. Hurt has been invited to appear in July and Perriello has been invited to come in August.“My take is, we have three candidates,“ Thorpe said. “Let’s give them all an equal shot.“
SD: Editorial Calls for Openness to Voices Outside the Two-Party System
From the Press and Dakotan:
An independent candidate for South Dakota’s lone U.S. House seat stopped by the Press & Dakotan last Friday. The interview had been arranged a couple of days before that, and so we prepared to meet him for the very first time. But in the back of our minds, we couldn’t help but think that he already had two strikes against him.Read the whole thing.
Such assumptions reflect the problems that candidates like B. Thomas Marking from Custer face as they make their lonely runs for office. And they are literally lonely: Unlike the candidates from the two major parties, independent hopefuls always show up for interviews without an assistant in tow to record what is said and keep the candidate on a tight schedule.
The aforementioned two strikes arise from the deeply ingrained two-party mentality that dominates our political culture. We have become so conditioned to choose one or the other that most of us give little thought to considering any variations.
But in an election cycle when incumbents are clearly an endangered species, you have to wonder if perhaps it’s time to look at the two-party system in general as an incumbent in need of a wakeup call.
WA: Independent Tea Party Candidate Challenges Democrat-Republican Duopoly in CD-3
From the Olympian:
National Republicans and Democrats are closely watching southwest Washington’s 3rd Congressional District this year, thinking U.S. Rep. Brian Baird’s decision to retire at the end of the year instantly turned a Democratic-leaning seat into one that either party might capture . . .
Jun 28, 2010
Exclusive: Interview with Jake Towne, Independent Candidate for Congress, PA-15
Jake Towne is an independent libertarian candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania's CD-15. Liberty Maven has called him the "anti-politician," stating that "he errs on the side of freedom on every issue and he deserves every liberty-lover’s support." I have been following Towne's campaign since last year when he first unveiled his idea of the "open office." Since then, his aggressive campaign strategy has paid off with appearances on cable news, profiles in local papers, and an invitation to debates hosted by the district's largest newspaper, the Morning Call. Jake was kind enough to answer a few questions via email over the weekend. The interview is printed in full below.
TPID: In your announcement regarding the debate organized by Morning Call, you note that you had previously challenged both the Republican and Democratic candidates to a debate, but they never responded. How did you break through the media's standard Democrat-Republican political filter?
TPID: In your announcement regarding the debate organized by Morning Call, you note that you had previously challenged both the Republican and Democratic candidates to a debate, but they never responded. How did you break through the media's standard Democrat-Republican political filter?
Towne: The breakthrough was a result of an enormous amount of effort from both myself and campaign volunteers and supporters. Supporters assisted by commenting on media links about the campaign for over a year now. Campaign volunteers and I have been sending consistent press releases and follow-up calls to reporters and other media contacts.
I've found the media is reluctant to spend time on independent campaigns as there are very few serious ones that have volunteers on the streets, actively attending community events, and overall just working extremely hard to get the message out. There are no short cuts to hard work, and the volunteers have all my respect for what they have done for this campaign.
TPID: What made you decide to run for Congress as an independent?
Towne: Well, besides the fact that the Republocrats have both failed the American people, I must admit that granted the composition and characteristics of my district, as well as my platform, running as an independent had by far the highest chances of success. It is also much easier to campaign without an "R" or "D" label, as these are both tarnished brands that both stand for the "stagnant quo," impoverishment, and war.TPID: You often criticize the "two-headed one-party establishment" when referencing the Republican and Democratic parties. What do you mean by this term?
Towne: When you really look at the performance of both parties, there is very little difference. While there are differences on the highly-divisive social issues - which are best left to the individual states - on monetary and foreign policy there is no significant difference between either party.
The fallacy that the Republicans are the "small government party" is easy to see - the Bush bailouts and near-doubling of the spending of the federal government from 2000-2008 show this to be a lie -- no matter how much Republican politicians claim to be "fiscal conservatives" in the media. The Democrats have simply continued the spending trend under Obama.
Likewise, the Democrats have claimed to be the party of peace and to protect people's civil liberties. In 2006, the Democrats were elected with a mandate to end the war in Iraq. They failed to do so. When the current Democrat president took office and promised to begin withdrawing from Iraq, instead there has been no withdrawal and the number of troops in Afghanistan has increased from 28,000 to over 100,000 by the end of this year. And protecting civil liberties? This claim is a joke. Take a look at the last vote to reauthorize warrantless wiretapping with the PATRIOT Act.
TPID: What are going to be the decisive issues of this campaign?
Towne: Well the people in my district really have a simple choice. They can choose the "lesser evil" tyranny of career politicians from the failed "two-headed, one-party" system, or they can choose liberty and prosperity by voting for me.
Only I am offering pragmatic solutions to increase employment -- not with a federal "jobs program" like the failed stimulus plan -- but by simply removing the government interventions and taxes that discourage employment in the first place.
http://towneforcongress.com/platform-issues/jobs/
http://towneforcongress.com/platform-issues/income-tax/
I am offering a sincere and simple plan to listen to the people called the "Open Office" where each resident is empowered with their own voice to criticize, comment, debate, and offer solutions.
http://towneforcongress.com/platform-issues/our-open- office-plank/
I am the only candidate that realizes the need for sound money to impose fiscal discipline on government and to stop the bailouts and corporatism.
http://towneforcongress.com/platform-issues/sound-money- and-jobs/
http://towneforcongress.com/platform-issues/bailouts-and- corporatism/
Overall, the people in my district are sick of the expensive, unconstitutional, nation-building wars abroad and I am the only candidate that has the reasonable solutions to bring home the troops and still capture those who attacked us on 9/11.
http://towneforcongress.com/platform-issues/afghanistan- war/
http://towneforcongress.com/platform-issues/iraq-war/
TPID: If elected, you would be one of the few, if not the only, independent in the House. How would you caucus in a body dominated by the Democratic and Republican parties?
Towne: I would caucus based on my principles and goals I have been elected on, which are predominantly economic in nature. I do anticipate working with the Republocrats. I will also ask for opinions from the residents in my district with the "Our Open Office" concept. I plan to use my independent status as an advantage, not a handicap.
TPID: If elected, what would you do to open our politics to voices outside and independent of the Democratic and Republican parties?
Towne: Well, obviously I will be an independent voice, quite likely the only one in Congress. Having directly experienced the ballot access and handicaps that Republocrat campaigns do not have to face, I will definitely have to give this further thought. I will admit it has crossed my mind that the signature limits in Pennsylvania should be set a bit lower -- or at least raise the Republocrat requirements so ballot access is fair.
TPID: How is your ballot access petition drive going? What kind of response have you been getting from the public?
Towne: Very well and very favorable. I expect no difficulties collecting the required number of signatures for ballot access that only independents/third parties are required to obtain for ballot access in Pennsylvania. The people of my district really deserve a representative who will be their genuine public servant, look after their best interests, and never accept corporate PAC or lobbyist money.Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions.
FL: Libertarian Snitker Profiled in St. Petersburg Times
From the St. Petersburg Times:
A paradox faces any third-party candidate for office: People don't take you seriously because not enough people take you seriously. So I feel some empathy for Alex Snitker, a Libertarian Party candidate for U.S. Senate in Florida this year. Snitker showed up the other day at a meeting of the Florida Society of News Editors, which was hearing from the "legitimate" Senate candidates, and even we wouldn't let him talk. He isn't high enough in the polls. So I called Snitker up and said, okay, I got a few hundred words; what are you for?
IL: County Libertarian Party Calls for Legalization of Marijuana
From the McHenry County LP blog:
It is a known fact to everyone except law enforcement and the judicial system that the war on drugs is lost and over. Prohibition failed in it's goals and actually fueled the problems that Capone style organized crime caused. History is a good teacher and at times arm chair QBing also works in post-game football; but not for the Feds. Loss after loss with evidence mounted overwhelmingly still has no effect on the blind politicians, law makers and police organizations.
The judicial system and jails are crushed by the burden of petty drug violations. Drug abuse is always wrong, but still a personal choice, just like alcohol abuse and prescription drug abuse.
Medical Marijuana is mired down with conflicting state and federal regulations. We spend billions on this failed war on drugs based off of no credible research or validation, where as based off of guess, urban legend, myth and hysteria but people run right along side singing it's praises.
It's time we say enough’s enough with the waste of money, resources and human potential.
MD: Libertarian Party to Run at least 15 Candidates this November, Historic High
From the Maryland Libertarian Party:
The Maryland Libertarian Party now has 15 candidates nominated for the November 2010 elections, including candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, 7 of the 8 US House races, 5 for the Maryland House of Delegates, 1 for Wicomico County Council, and 1 for Cecil County Board of Education.
This is the most candidates the party has ever run. And it may be the most ever run by a non-establishment party in Maryland in over 30 years.
TX: Libertarians Reach Out at America Speaks
From Garry Reid at the Examiner:
America Speaks, billing itself as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, held Town Hall Meetings Saturday in which "thousands of Americans in dozens of cities across the US came together to find common ground on tough choices about our federal budget."
The idea is to give discussion guides and budgets to people of diverse backgrounds, pack them into a big room like the Dallas County Convention Center, divvy them up 10 to 12 per "discussion table" and see if they can come up with a consensus that can be shown on the big screen in the room. The Libertarian and Libertarian-leaning viewpoints were represented by four Libertarian Party members and three Libertarian-Republicans.
NJ: Libertarian Party Targets Abuses in Criminal Justice System
From My Central Jersey:
The state Libertarian Party is targeting towns they say are abusing the practice of downgrading criminal charges in municipal court to boost revenue and clear away cases. They even have a name for their effort — the Preempted Ordinance Repeal Project. And Somerville and South Bound Brook are among their prime immediate targets.
The project name refer to outdated municipal ordinances that have been preempted by state law, but remain on the books and are used to downgrade certain criminal charges — like, for example, a simple assault — to the municipal violation.
Jun 26, 2010
NC: Libertarian Candidate for Senate to Participate in Debate
From Brian Irving at the Examiner:
In what may be a first for North Carolina politics, the first debate of the 2010 U.S. Senate election will include all ballot qualified candidates. The N.C. Bar Association is sponsoring a debate in Wilmington tomorrow which will include Libertarian Mike Beitler, incumbent Republican Richard Burr and Democrat Elaine Marshall.
SC: Green Candidate for Governor Touts Independence
From Live5 News in SC:
CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Political newcomer and the South Carolina Green Party's nominee for governor, Dr. Morgan Bruce Reeves has brought his grassroots campaign to Charleston. "The only way we're going to make the Democrat and Republican party respect South Carolina is to vote on an independent like myself to be the next governor," Reeves said.
He said he is ready to take on his opponents, Republican Nikki Haley and Democrat Vincent Sheheen. "Nikki Haley being the governor of South Carolina would be like daffy duck being the point guard for the Boston Celtics," Reeves said. "Her problem is she's worried about all the big names and all the rich people."
UK Greens Call for "Green New Deal" from G20
From UK General Election Party News:
Jean Lambert and Keith Taylor, the UK’s two Green Party MEPs, say it’s time G20 countries in Europe put a European Green New Deal into place. This would involve an end to coal industry subsidy, an international agreement for a Robin Hood Tax, and strategic continent-wide investment in renewable energy industry.
Glenn Beck Fears Communist Party Outreach via Facebook
At Fox News, Glenn Beck wonders "How did Communism become cool?" An excerpt:
I want to talk to you about communism, but I have to tell you, that sounds like a joke. Three years ago I didn't even think it was around; I would have mocked someone like me. But don't fall into that trap. Open your mind and your ears — the country is in trouble. . . .
Our children have grown up not knowing what communism is. They didn't have to go through the emergency attack drills at school. They didn't grow up hearing about the gulags. They haven't seen the horror show of millions of mass murders and starving people at the hands of brutal communist dictators . . .
You've got communist teachers in California calling for revolution. The Houston branch of Communist Party USA — a group that's called for the nationalization of BP — is reaching out to young people through Facebook. And their favorite movie is Michael Moore's "Capitalism, a Love Story."From the About page at the Houston Communist Party's website:
The Houston Communist Party is the local club in Texas of the Communist Party USA is an organization of revolutionaries working to bring about social change in a conscious, progressive direction. We understand the connection between working for democratic reforms and improvements in living standards today, and building a movement large enough and united enough to create revolutionary change and socialism in the future.
We base ourselves on Marxism-Leninism, on the accumulated experience of our Party since our founding in 1919. Our view of the needs of our working class as a whole, and on our vision of Socialism USA is based on those experiences.
We are rooted in our country’s revolutionary history and our many struggles for full equality and democracy. We call for “Bill of Rights” socialism, guaranteeing full individual freedoms, except the “freedom” to exploit or oppress others. We organize contingents in most major demonstrations, support workers’ struggles for decent wages and working conditions, and participate in many other ways in the political life of our country.
OR: Pirate Party May Endorse Pacific Green Party Candidate for Congress
From the US Pirate Party:
In other news, we will be sending a letter to Michael Meo tomorrow with questions to ask the candidate for Oregon's 3rd Congressional District. The answers will be reviewed by the membership and we will vote during the following meeting whether or not to endorse him. If you would like to add a question for Michael, please do so here.
US Pirate Party Slams Obama Administration on Copyright and Patent Reform
From a lengthy article at TechEye:
The US Pirate Party has condemned the Obama administration's recently announced efforts to kill off internet piracy. TechEye spoke with Travis McCrea of the US Pirate Party, and he told us that the news about the US government's plans is not a surprise, since Obama and his party have consistently failed to live up to the promises they have made, including delivering high-speed internet to rural areas, and reforming copyright and patenting.
He said he does not believe the Obama administration is being bullied by the music and film industries and “he knows exactly what he is doing”. He was particularly critical of the appointment of Victoria Espinel, who he called the “Intellectual Property Czar”, the appointment of whom was endorsed by the MPAA. He also disapproved of the appointment of Joe Biden as Obama's vice-president, saying that it shows that Obama does not care about copyright and patent reform.
American Centrist Party Merges with Modern Whig Party
From The Whig:
We are pleased to announce that one of the largest moderate political movements in the nation has unanimously voted to merge with the Modern Whig Party. This means that we are being joined by a list of about 16,000 Americans who had initially signed on in support of the American Centrist Party. This merger is a natural fit as we both have been working toward a viable, mainstream and non-fringe political movement that values common sense, rational solutions ahead of partisan bickering and ideology.
On a practical level, we are receiving an infusion of a new core of moderate leaders throughout the nation. While the Modern Whig Party was revived by post-9/11 veterans, the effects of this merger further demonstrate the diverse makeup of this political movement. Work is now underway in other areas to expand our reach and maximize our potential while maintaining a foot in reality in terms of the continuing difficult task ahead.
Again, thank you for your continuing support of this political movement and our mutual goal in creating a viable, mainstream and non-fringe political movement.
Best regards,
Executive Committee
Modern Whig Party
Jun 25, 2010
MD: Examiner Profiles Constitution Party Candidate for Congress
From Louis Ciotola at the Examiner:
There is a brand new candidate from the Constitution Party of Maryland running for the 6th District’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. His name is Michael Reed and what he has to say in his blog announcing his candidacy illustrates well the principles of the Constitution Party and demonstrates the uphill battle faced by minor parties.
IL: 11 Candidates File for US Senate Race
From Publius' Forum at Chicago Now:
- Republican: Mark Kirk
- Democrat: Alexi Giannoulias
- Green Party: LeAlan M. Jones
- Libertarian Party: Mike Labno
- Constitution Party: Randy Stufflebeam
- Independent: Corey Dabney
- Independent: Shon-iyon Horton
- Independent: Will Boyd
- Practical: Carl E. Officer
- Illinois Reform: Andy Martin
- Conservative Independent: Christopher Pedersen
Libertarian Profiles Constitution Party
From Larry Warrick at Nolan Chart:
As a libertarian and firm believer in the republican (with a small 'r') form of government (anarchy is not a stable state for society) the constitution party platform is comfortable reading and clearly defined. Its decidedly Christian moral structure and adherence to constitutional principles make it as American as apple pie.
For anyone who has been paying attention to events in both American society and politics, third parties who field candidates of sound moral character and who adhere to the strict constitutional limitations of government should play well with the independent and disenchanted mainstream party voters, such as the TEA party groups, giving the Constitution Party an edge in 2012 that neither of the two mainstream parties will be able to counter. Now that's a 'change' I can 'believe in'.
AL: Constitution Party Candidate for Congress to Face off Against Incumbent Republican in Two-Person Race
From the Montgomery Advertiser:
Baldwin County businessman David Walter has qualified to run for Alabama's 1st Congressional District seat as the candidate of the Constitution Party. . . . The move means incumbent four-term Republican Congressman Jo Bonner of Mobile will face opposition in the Nov. 2 general election. Democrats did not qualify a candidate to run against Bonner.
Jun 24, 2010
NJ: Greens Running at least Six Candidates in November
From Green Party Watch:
Green Party candidates are seeking four New Jersey Congressional and two Freeholder seats this November, offering a viable alternative to the politics of war and fear engendered by the governing duopolies in Washington and Trenton, according to Michael Spector, State Party Chair.Read the whole thing.
SC: Green Offers Alternative in Senate Election, Tom Clements with 9% Support
From SC Now:
A recent Rasmussen poll showed Republican Senator Jim DeMint with 58 percent of the vote, Democrat Alvin Greene, 21 percent and “some other candidate” with nine percent of the vote. Little media attention has been given to the other “unknown” candidate in the race for the U.S. Senate seat,Tom Clements, the Green Party candidate who claimed that nine percent as his own in a release last week. Although history shows little love for Green Party candidates in South Carolina, Clements is confident his chance in this election is as good as any.
TX: Democrats Fight to Keep Greens Off Ballot, Fear Political Competition
From the Austin Statesman:
Democrats will try today to block the Green Party from fielding candidates for governor and other statewide offices this November. The Greens appeared to qualify for this year's statewide ballot by submitting 92,000 petition signatures to the secretary of state's office in May. But the Texas Democratic Party will try to persuade a state district judge in Austin to block the Greens from the ballot because, Democrats claim, an outside group illegally paid for the gathering of those signatures.
IL: Green Party Watch Sees Spike in Coverage of Green Candidates
From Green Party Watch:
The Illinois Green Party has been getting a lot of attention after recent polls showed Green gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney at 9% and US Senate candidate LeAlan Jones at 14%. Here are some of the stories featuring Illinois Greens in the past week:
•Talking Points Memo: Green Party IL-SEN Candidate: I Could Win This Thing
•NBC Chicago: Why the Green Party’s Even More Annoying (and Effective) This Year
•The Southern: Whitney: Debates Should Be Inclusive
•Firedoglake: With 4 major candidates in the US Senate and Governor races in Illinois, is a Green victory within reach?
•LeAlan Jones’ campaign has a new facebook page, Friends of LeAlan M. Jones.
Below are emails sent to supporters by LeAlan Jones and Rich Whitney on 6/24 in which the candidates react to their growing momentum . . .Read the whole thing.
OH: Spisak Emphasizes Importance of "Work and Job Creation"
From Dennis Spisak, Green Party candidate for governor of Ohio:
The Green Party proposes a third alternative to a job or no job dichotomy: that is to provide everyone a sustainable livelihood. The need of our times is for security, not necessarily jobs. We need security in the knowledge that, while markets may fluctuate and jobs may come and go, we are still able to lead a life rooted in dignity and well-being.
The concept of a “job” is only a few hundred years old; and the artificial dichotomy between “employment” and “unemployment” has become a tool of social leverage for corporate exploiters. This produces a dysfunctional society in various ways: (1) It is used to justify bringing harmful industries to rural communities, such as extensive prison construction and clear cutting of pristine forests. (2) It has been used to pit workers (people needing jobs) against the interests of their own communities. (3) It has created a self-esteem crisis in a large segment of the adult population who have been forced into doing work that is irrelevant, socially harmful, or environmentally unsound.
We will also promote policies that have job-increasing effects. Many people will still need jobs for their security. We need to counterbalance the decline in jobs caused either by new technology, corporate flight to cheaper labor markets outside our borders, or the disappearance of socially wasteful jobs that will inevitably occur as more and more people embrace a green culture.
Jun 23, 2010
MA: Cahill Responds to RGA Smear Campaign in New Web Ad
From the Boston Globe:
State Treasurer Timothy Cahill says in a new Web ad that political attacks on him are an attack on independent-thinking people across Massachusetts. . . . The Quincy politician offered the low-budget message in response to a $1 million negative ad blitz launched against him by the Republican Governors Association.
FL: Democrats Pressure Independent to Drop out of Gov. Race
From the Miami Herald:
Lawton ``Bud'' Chiles III has been an independent candidate for governor for only a few weeks, but some longtime friends and associates already are trying to persuade him to drop out. The subtle pressure comes mostly from Democrats who fear Chiles can't win and will siphon votes away from likely Democratic nominee Alex Sink. . . .
Chiles dismisses the grumbling and said Democrats can't force him to drop his campaign. ``I've seen some comments by people that are insiders,'' Chiles said Tuesday, noting that most calls came before his June 3 campaign kickoff. ``That's inside party baseball. A lot of people are looking for an alternative to this existing order that we have set up.''
OR: Independent Party to Hold Primary Over Internet
From Ballot Access News:
Because the Independent Party has so many members, it is not nominating by convention or caucus this year. Instead, it is holding its own primary, at its own expense, via the internet. The party is sending a postal letter to every member, giving him or her a unique ID number. That number can then be used by that voter to vote in the party’s on-line primary during July. For more information about the process, see the party’s web page at http://indparty.com.
Because Oregon legalized fusion last year, the party has many contested primaries. For Governor, the party has a 3-candidate race: two members of the Independent Party (Jerry Wilson and Richard Esterman), and the Democratic nominee, John Kitzhaber. For U.S. House in the 3rd district, the Independent Party primary is between the Green Party nominee and the Libertarian Party nominee. For the 4th and 5th districts, the Independent Party primary is between the Democratic and Republican nominees. For all state and federal offices combined, there are 77 candidates in the party’s primary.
OH: Socialist Candidate for Senate on Housing and Transportation
From Dan La Botz, Socialist Party candidate for US Senate in Ohio, from the Socialist Webzine:
We must build affordable housing in affordable communities. Red-lining, real estate racial steering, inadequate transportation, and other policies of social segregation have divided our country by race and class while at the same time making housing unaffordable for many. We need quality, affordable housing for all. . . .
We must reconstruct our national, state and local transportation systems to serve our goals of full employment and access to jobs, affordable communities, and the building of a green economy. The major transportation systems should be publicly owned, democratically planned and involve workers and consumers in their management to make them more efficient.
Jun 22, 2010
IL: Libertarians Petition for Ballot Access
From the Small Gov Times:
The Libertarian Party of Illinois (“LP Illinois”) will complete the petition drive to get its state-wide and district candidates on the ballot for the 2010 General Election on June 21st in Springfield. Election law in Illinois requires candidates for “new” political parties, such as Libertarians, to file many times the number of signatures as “established” parties, such as Democrats and Republicans. For example, the petition filing headed by Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Lex Green is required to contain 25,000 registered voter signatures, while Democrats and Republicans are required to file only 5,000. Similarly, Libertarian candidate for the 18th Representative District, Steve Funk, is required to file 2,561 signatures, while a Democratic or Republican opponent needs only 500.
FL: Florida Whig Party Endorses Snitker, Calls on Head of State's Press Association to Resign
From the Florida Whig Party:
Alexander Snitker said: “I'd like to make a statement. I think denying a person who served eight years in the United States Marine Corps defending your right to have this today...is an atrocity.” Snitker admonished the assembled press, saying, “You keep saying that career politicians are the problem, and you're only going to allow career politicians and a billionaire on stage. You want to talk about the tea party candidate? It's not Marco Rubio – it's Alexander Snitker.”
Alexander Snitker is the first Libertarian to appear on the ballot for the United States Senate in the State of Florida and deserves equal treatment. Many Libertarian candidates, and other minor party candidates, have often been ignored by a biased media that is dependent upon the advertising revenues of millionaires and billionaires who seek office. Shame on Dean Ridings and the Florida Press Association for intentionally restricting free speech, public debate, and the public's right to know all the candidates and issues.
FL: Third Party Candidates Excluded from Press Forum
From the Libertarian Party Blog:
Alex Snitker, Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senator in Florida, was excluded from a candidate event held by the Florida Press Association on June 17. Snitker attended the event and spoke against the decision to exclude him.
IL: Cohen Readies Independent Run for Governor
From the State Journal Register:
Scott Lee Cohen, the 45-year-old pawnshop owner from Chicago who won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor this spring, only to withdraw after allegations surfaced of past bad behavior, filed petitions Monday as an independent candidate for governor.
“In life, things happen, and sometimes life can beat you down,” Cohen told reporters outside the State Board of Elections in Springfield, where he wheeled in a four-foot stack of paper bearing more than 133,000 signatures – more than five times the 25,000 valid signatures required. “You have to be strong enough to pick yourself up, brush yourself off and move forward.”
MD: Examiner Profiles Minor Party Candidates
From Louis Ciotola at the Examiner:
Of the minor parties, the Libertarian Party of Maryland is by far fielding the most candidates for prominent state and federal offices, covering the governorship, lieutenant governorship, and representatives for the first three districts. The Constitution Party has thus far selected only a candidate for 3rd district while the Green Party remains limited to a candidate in the 4th district.
Besides the sole Green Party candidate, it is interesting to note that all of the other minor party candidates for Maryland’s higher state and federal offices are positioned well to the right on the political spectrum. Even the independently running candidate in the 1st district, Jack Wilson, is, according to his website, a Tea Party activist.
Jun 21, 2010
FL: Crist Finds Groove as Independent, Pulls Ahead in Polls
From the AP:
A Republican no longer, Gov. Charlie Crist just can't seem to get enough of President Barack Obama or Democratic priorities. The independent is behaving more like the independent he is in Florida's wildly unpredictable Senate race, standing with the president, courting organized labor and vetoing legislation to ban embryonic stem cell research at the state's universities.From the St. Petersburg Times:
A new Florida Chamber of Commerce poll suggests Charlie Crist may be widening his lead over Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Kendrick Meek in the U.S. Senate race. Where other recent polls showed Crist barely edging out Rubio, the June 9-13 survey of 607 likely voters by the Florida Chamber of Commerce Political Institute and Cherry Communications found 42 percent backing Crist, 31 percent Rubio and 14 percent Meek. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.
It also found Rick Scott leading Bill McCollum for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, 35 percent to 30 percent; and both Republicans leading Democrat Alex Sink and independent Lawton "Bud" Chiles III. For the general election, Scott and McCollum were favored by 31 percent and 30 percent respectively, while Chief Financial Officer Sink drew 26 percent and Chiles 15 percent.
OH: Socialist Candidate for Senate "Astonished" that Obama is Called a Socialist
From the Cincinnati Enquirer:
Dan La Botz knows with certainty that President Barack Obama is no socialist. He's sure because he's one himself, and finds little in common with the politics of the 44th president of the United States. "I don't support Obama. If I did, I would be a Democrat," La Botz said. "I find it astonishing that people would think he's a socialist. He's given trillions of dollars to bankers, billions to General Motors, created a health care system that supports the health insurance companies ... his foreign policy is consistent with Bush's foreign policy."TPID has previously featured an article by Dan La Botz addressing the question of the Democratic Party's relation to socialism, as well as an open letter from the Socialist Senate candidate to Ohio progressives.
La Botz, of Clifton, is running for a seat in the U.S. Senate this year on the Socialist ticket.
Since President Obama was elected, "socialism" is a word on the lips of many conservative politicians, tea party supporters and political pundits. A CBS News/New York Times poll in April showed 92 percent of tea party supporters believe Obama is moving the country toward socialism - while 52 percent of all Americans held the same belief.
Socialists shake their heads - but they don't really mind the attention.
Progressives Ignorant of Constitution Party's Existence
Alternet blogger criticizes Republicans for past ties to Constitution Party, upon discovering its existence:
It could be the most important political party you’ve barely heard of — the Constitution Party, a far-right party that combines the sort of quasi-libertarian ideology spouted by Ron Paul with a Christian Reconstructionist bent for the biblical law of the Book of Leviticus (you know, the law that mandates death by stoning for practitioners of gay sex and adultery).
But when it comes to Constitution Party street cred, Sharron Angle, the Republican nominee for Nevada’s U.S. Senate seat, seems to have Paul, and his son, Rand (the GOP’s nominee for Kentucky’s Senate seat) beat. Angle, reports TPM’s Justin Elliott, spent six years as a member of Nevada’s Independent American Party, the state’s Constitution Party affiliate.
SC: Green Candidate for Senate Polling 9%
From Green Party Watch:
A Rasmussen poll shows incumbent Republican Jim DeMint at 58%, Democratic nominee Alvin Greene at 21%, and “Some other candidate” at 9%, with 13% undecided. The only other candidate in the race is South Carolina Green Party nominee Tom Clements.
Rasmussen has been contacted in an effort to include Clements in future polls by name, and a reply from Rasmussen indicated that if “some other candidate” performs well they will add that “some other” by name.
Clements’ campaign has gotten a boost from Alvin Greene’s performance on television. The Democratic nominee won election without campaigning. He has no website, no Facebook or Twitter accounts, raised no money and had no formal appearances. Greene has been on Countdown with Keith Olberman as well as public TV in Columbia. The footage of his appearances has been called “painful to watch”.
MA: Jill Stein Slams "Annointed Ones," Talks Green Jobs
From the Berkshire Eagle:
GREAT BARRINGTON -- It was a small visit but big issues were discussed when gubernatorial candidate Jill Stein stopped by the Nutrition Center here.Stein, the Green-Rainbow Party nominee, met with the group behind the Nutrition Center and discussed everything from health care to food security to energy and how this little nonprofit tucked away in Great Barrington could go a long way to solving many of the problems.
"This is the future of Massachusetts; that farm economy that is a win-win for jobs, health and food security," said Stein, discussing the multifold mission of the Nutrition Center, which provides health counseling, access to community gardening and education in classrooms throughout the Berkshires. Its farmers market accepts food stamps and its counseling is covered partly by insurance. "I'm interested in it as a model for the rest of the state," Stein said. . . . .
Stein wasn't even invited to participate in Wednesday's gubernatorial debate with incumbent Democrat Patrick, Republican Charles Baker and independent Timothy Cahill, but she took that as a point of pride.
"I'm not one of the anointed ones" by the Beacon Hill establishment, she said.
But on this day in the Berkshires, she had her say. She criticized the governor's energy policies, characterizing them as environmentally unfriendly. She supports the ballot initiative to curb biomass projects in the state.
Greens to Participate in Joint Progressive Strategy Session at US Social Forum
From the Green Party:
Five organizations have collaborated to organize a "progressive strategy dialogue" at the United States Social Forum (http://www.ussf2010.org) in Detroit, Michigan. The dialogue will be one of 50 People’s Movement Assemblies during the USSF. It will take place on Thursday afternoon, June 24th, from 1 to 5:30 pm in Cobo Hall, room W2-67.
The dialogue was initiated by the Independent Progressive Politics Network, which has organized similar dialogues a number of times over the past decade. Co-sponsors are the Green Party of the United States, League of Revolutionaries for a New America, Progressive Democrats of America and the Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy.
MI: Detroit Greens Prepare for National Meeting
From the Detroit Green Party:
The Green Party will feature former national nominees, state and local candidates for 2010, officeholders and other special guests during press conferences planned to take place at the party's 2010 Annual National Meeting at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. The meeting will take place from Thursday, June 24, to Sunday, June 27.
The schedule of media events, which is subject to change, is appended below. For more information about the Green Party meeting's schedule of events, registration, and lodging, visit the web site (http://greenpartymeeting2010.wordpress.com). The Media Credentialing page is also online (http://www.gp.org/forms/media). Reporters are encouraged to register ahead of time, but media registration will also take place on-site.
Jun 19, 2010
IL: Independent to File as Candidate for US Senate
From the Examiner:
Will Boyd Jr., an Independent candidate for the U.S. Senate from Illinois has achieved what few other Independents have been able to. He has secured a place on the ballot for this November’s election by gaining the necessary 25,000+ signatures on petitions. According to Mr. Boyd, the petitions were filed in Springfield at the State Board of Elections at 1:54 p.m. on Monday June 14, one week before the deadline of June 21.
VT: Nine Candidates File for Governor
From the Boston Globe:
One of the busiest political campaign years in recent Vermont history kicked off yesterday as a last few candidates filed their petitions with the Secretary of State’s office, setting the slate for Aug. 24 primary elections and the Nov. 2 general election.
Topping the ballot: A wide-open race for governor, with at least five Democrats, a Republican, two independents, and a United States Marijuana Party candidate seeking to succeed Republican incumbent Jim Douglas, who is stepping down after four terms in the $142,542-a-year job.
ME: Independent likely to File Lawsuit over Electronic Signatures
From Ballot Access News:
Maine and several other New England states still require petitioning candidates to submit their completed petitions to various town clerks around the state. Then, after the town clerks have finished checking the petitions, the candidate or political party supporting that candidate must collect the petitions and deliver them to the Secretary of State.
This cumbersome procedure ought to be obsolete in every state, because federal legislation for some years has required each state elections office to have its own list of all registered voters in the state.
This year, in Maine, an independent gubernatorial candidate, Alex Hammer, collected almost 6,000 signatures toward the requirement of 4,000. To save time, money, and energy, he put the petitions he had collected from certain towns on his web page, using high resolution techniques for the scan (300dpi). He then asked these particular town clerks to check the signatures by examining the images.
However, the Secretary of State ruled that this method of delivery is not permitted, so Hammer is off the ballot, even though he is virtually certain to have enough valid signatures. Using the old-fashioned system of delivering signatures in person, he already has been notified that he has 3,200 valid signatures, and there are still 1,400 unchecked signatures. He expects to file a lawsuit to reverse the Secretary of State’s decision.
FL: Tea Party Nominates 20 Candidates for State Legislature
A press release from the Florida Tea Party sent via email:
(Orlando, FL)- Florida TEA Party Chairman Fred O'Neal announced that twenty (20) candidates for the Florida legislature met qualifying deadline today to qualify for the November general election. All would have the word 'TEA' appear on the ballot next to their name and are the official nominees of the TEA party.
"We promised months ago that Republicans that merely talked about lower taxes but then voted for bigger government would be targeted. Today, incoming Florida Speaker of the House Dean Cannon, incoming Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos, and Democrat leader Ron Saunders all have Florida TEA Party opponents," said O'Neal.
"We will expose these RINO Republicans as the frauds that they are. Taxpayers have a right to a real choice and the TEA Party will give it to them."
O'Neal expects to wage a vigorous grassroots campaign that will oppose the influence of vested special interest money. "Just look at the millions of dollars that Cannon and Haridopolos have raised so far from lobbyists. It is an embarrassment that the Florida legislature is for sale to the highest bidder."
"For over a decade the Republicans have had a majority in Tallahassee and a Republican in the governor's mansion...and all we have to show for it is tax and spend policies that have helped bankrupt Florida's economy."
"We pleased to have a TEA Party candidate running in a Democrat stronghold district that the Republicans were afraid to challenge," he said. O'Neal was referring to Dr. Marshal DeRosa, a professor at Florida Atlantic University running in Senate District 30.
O'Neal also pointed out that Florida TEA Party candidates have qualified from Florida's panhandle to Key West and demonstrate a strong beginning for a brand new political party.
Florida TEA Party is an official political party recognized by the State of Florida and authorized by Florida Division of Elections to place candidates on the November ballot.
Jun 18, 2010
SC: Democrats Want Independent on Ballot
From CNN:
As Democrats in South Carolina face the uncomfortable prospect of having unemployed political novice Alvin Greene as their Senate nominee in November, some in the party have launched an effort to put a more polished candidate on the ballot as an independent. Allies of former congressional candidate Linda Ketner, who came within four points of unseating Rep. Henry Brown in 2008, are seeking 10,000 signatures by July 15 to get Ketner's name on the ballot along with Greene and the Republican incumbent, Sen. Jim DeMint.
IL: Ballot Access Law = Incumbent Politician Protection Plan
From My Fox Chicago:
They need their petitions signed, sealed, and delivered by Monday, but some are facing an uphill battle. Whether it's the Cook County Assessor seat or a run for the governor's office, critics say the people who already have those jobs have an almost insurmountable advantage.
Challengers and independents say no matter how many names they get on their petitions, incumbents have the manpower to try to disqualify them. Cook County Commissioner Forrest Claypool was a Democrat who broke ranks to challenge his former party's candidate for Cook County Assessor. "This petition process is a built-in protection plan for the incumbent career politican." said Claypool.
"It's the best way for them to keep an independent like myself out of politics. So they create these huge roadblocks, very high petition requirements, all kinds of technical and legal rules to trip you up. And then they line up an army of attorneys at the public trough, some of them double as lobbyists, to try and kick you off the ballot."
Jun 17, 2010
MA: Independent Cahill Calls for Expansion of Political Options
From Item Live:
LYNN - State Treasurer Timothy Cahill took his gubernatorial campaign to Lynn Wednesday where he talked frankly about expanding the two-party political system so that it represents many interests and voices.
"If the two-party system was working extraordinarily well, I would have stayed within it," said the former Quincy city councilor who switched parties from Democrat to Independent in 2009 and is seeking the governor's office as an independent candidate. "They want to limit your options. I want to expand them. This is a time when people are looking for a third alternative."
Variety Reports on Global Pirate Party Movement
From Variety:
As the entertainment industry wages its war on copyright bandits, the international Pirate Party movement continues to grow, with nascent orgs now established in 44 countries. The name "Pirate Party" might conjure images of a rum-lubricated beach bash, but it's not causing any merriment in the industry. What started out in 2006 as a small new party in Sweden to limit intellectual property laws and strengthen privacy rights has grown into a worldwide political movement intent on rolling back what it perceives to be excessive anti-piracy measures by the entertainment industry and increasingly draconian legislation aimed at dismantling civil rights.
IL: Green Party Candidate Gains Momentum and Grassroots Support in Senate Race
Two links sent in via email from reader Dominik on the Green Party candidate for US Senate in Illinois, LeAlan Jones. From NBC News:
A new Public Policy Poll released today shows Giannoulias leading Kirk, 31 percent to 30 percent. Those are terrible numbers for major party candidates. What’s really shocking is that a significant number of respondents say they plan to vote for a candidate they’ve never heard of: LeAlan Jones, the Green Party nominee. Jones got 14 percent in the poll, even though 84 percent of voters say they have no opinion of him. . . .
“The beneficiary of the voter disgust with both Giannoulias and Kirk is Green Party candidate LeAlan Jones,” writes Tom Jensen on Public Policy Polling’s blog. “Despite being viewed favorably by only 2% of voters in the state he's pulling 14% in the horse race. Posing a particular problem for Giannoulias is that Jones is getting a remarkable 26% of the black vote right now.”
Thanks Dominik!
OH: Libertarian Party Opposes Expanded Police Discretionary Powers
Sent to TPID via email from the Libertarian Party of Ohio:
The Libertarian Party of Ohio disagrees with the recent conclusion of the Ohio State Supreme Court in determining that an officer’s estimation of a vehicle’s speed should be enough evidence to support a speeding conviction. Since the 18th Century, Western Courts have set the burden of proof in the hands of the accuser and the burden of proof must be beyond a reasonable doubt for a criminal conviction. Taking away an efficient and effective tool that has been in place since the 1950s in America to assist law enforcement in their difficult and noble professions, the Ohio State Supreme Court has just reduced the burden of proof to an oral statement provided after a visual estimation and for the first time in American history, the burden shifts now to the accuser to prove oneself innocent.
FL: Third Party Tea Party Candidate for Congress Wins Radio Straw Poll
Sent to TPID via email from the Florida Tea Party:
On Friday, June 4th 2010, the People Power Hour with George Crossley radio
show set up an internet straw poll for Florida Congressional District 8 on
its website. Balloting ran until 4pm on Friday, June 11, 2010.
The winner of the straw poll was announced on Friday evening's show at
6:05pm. The winner of the straw poll, with 45% of the total vote was Peg
Dunmire (TEA), followed by Alan Grayson (D) with 40% of the vote. Complete
totals are listed below:
Bieling, Ross (R): 35
Dunmire, Peg (TEA): 5,654
Fanelli, Dan (R): 99
Gerritzen, Steven J (WRI): 172
Grayson, Alan (D) Incumbent: 5,073
Kelly, Kurt (R): 10
Long, Todd (R): 238
Metcalfe, George L (NPA): 58
O'Donoghue, Bruce (R): 1
Sullivan, Patricia (R): 436
Webster, Daniel (R): 889
_______________________
Total Votes Cast : 12,665
Please note that this poll was non-binding, non-scientific and in all
likelihood non-hypoallergenic.
Jun 16, 2010
OR: Libertarians Nominate Candidates, Debate Fusion Voting Strategy
From Oregon Live:
The Libertarian Party of Oregon this weekend nominated a 33-year-old information technology worker to be its candidate for governor, but the party also found itself embroiled in a dispute over whether to participate in the new fusion voting law.
Wes Wagner, who lives near Aurora in Clackamas County, said he intends to largely run a "video candidacy" that he hopes will be well-funded enough to buy time on broadcast and cable television.
OR: Libertarians Nominate Marc Delphine for US Senate
From Just Out:
Marc Delphine - openly gay Libertarian, Chair of Americans for Prosperity, Washington County, leader of Washington County’s TEA Party rallies in 2009 and 2010, and college and financial planner based in Tigard – was officially nominated as the Oregon Libertarian Party’s candidate for U.S. Senate Saturday, June 12. Delphine, recently profiled in the pages of Just Out, originally announced his campaign in March with a focus on “principle-centered leadership,” and “bringing communities together.
FL: Independetn and Third Party Candidates Flood Congressional Races
From Sunshine State News:
While Gov. Charlie Crist and gubernatorial candidate Bud Chiles are getting most of the attention, Florida is seeing a large number of independents taking on both the Democrats and Republicans in the 2010 elections.
“It’s exciting,” said Michael Tupper, campaign manager for independent congressional candidate Troy Stanley who has offered a conservative challenge to veteran Republican U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw.
Besides Chiles, three independent candidates as well as two minor party nominees are running for governor. Besides Crist, at least five independent candidates as well as two minor party nominees have made the ballot for the U.S. Senate race.
Thirteen independent candidates, including Stanley, and four minor party candidates have made the ballot for Florida’s 25 congressional races. While filing has not closed, independent candidates have launched bids for two state Cabinet positions -- attorney general, and commissioner of agriculture and consumer services.
Leaders from third parties and independent campaigns said voters were dissatisfied with politics as usual and were looking for alternatives, including parties and candidates outside the two-party system.
TX: Libertarians Nominate Kathie Glass for Governor
From Fort Bend Now:
Kathie Glass, a Houston attorney, has won the Libertarian Party’s nomination for governor. Glass will face incumbent Gov. Rick Perry and former Houston mayor Bill White in the November gubernatorial election. After being picked as the Libertarian Party’s candidate, Glass called the upcoming election “our time.” “We will leave this convention as a united party,” Glass said. “Texans want smaller government and more freedom. This is the message that we bring.”
She also said Perry was “intent on running our state Washington D.C. style instead of Texas style.” “Runaway taxes, exploding spending, escalating debt, ever-growing government, and confiscation of property so he can give it to foreign interests – where will it end?” Glass asked. Glass said she will reach out to voters who supported former GOP candidate Debra Medina, a conservative activist from Wharton who ran what many called an “insurgent campaign” in this Republican gubernatorial primary.
IL: Green Party Senate Candidate Polling 14%
From Public Policy Polling:
The beneficiary of the voter disgust with both Giannoulias and Kirk is Green Party candidate LeAlan Jones. Despite being viewed favorably by only 2% of voters in the state he's pulling 14% in the horse race. Posing a particular problem for Giannoulias is that Jones is getting a remarkable 26% of the black vote right now.
Jun 15, 2010
SC: Green Party Candidate to Challenge Democrat and Republican in 3-Way Senate Race
From News Blaze:
In what promises to further make the senatorial election an interesting affair, the South Carolina Green Party has fielded a serious candidate running for the U.S. Senate seat. The Green Party candidate, Tom Clements, will be the only other candidate on the ballot with the Republican and Democratic candidates, making it a 3-way race.
Tom Clements, noted environmental activist in South Carolina who lives in the Earlewood neighborhood in Columbia, was affirmed by the Green Party convention in early May to be the Senate candidate and all paperwork was properly filed with the State Election Commission. Mr. Clements' candidacy can be seen listed under third party candidates on the election commission website.
NY: Reds Go Green, Socialist Party Endorses Green Party Candidate for Governor
From The Post Standard in Syracuse, NY:
Syracuse resident Howie Hawkins’ Green Party candidacy for governor is getting a boost from the Socialist Party of New York State. The Socialists, convening in Schenectady this weekend, chose Hawkins as their candidate, said Billy Wharton, a national co-chairman of the Socialist Party USA.
Hawkins was the only candidate nominated and the unanimous choice of the 20 delegates from New York City, Syracuse and Binghamton who convened in Schenectady, Wharton said. Instead of trying to put Hawkins on a separate ballot line, the Socialists will help gather the 15,000 signatures that Hawkins must collect to appear on the ballot on the Green line, then work to get him at least 50,000 votes in the fall election, Wharton said.
“We’re telling people we’re Reds who are voting Green,” Wharton quipped.
TX: Democrats Sue Green Party for Being on Ballot
From the WSJ:
Texas Democrats have filed a lawsuit after learning that an out-of-state Republican consultant helped the Green Party qualify for the state's general-election ballot for the first time since 2002—a surprising turn of events Democrats claim is a plot to hurt their gubernatorial candidate in November. The Texas Democratic Party filed the suit Thursday against Arizona-based consultant Timothy F. Mooney, a Missouri group called Take Initiative America Inc., the Texas Green Party and "unknown conspirators," alleging a slew of state election-law violations.
MA: Jill Stein Argues for "Real Change"
Via GPW, Green gubernatorial candidate Jill Stein makes the case for "real change" in an op-ed:
As we look around us this summer, it is clear that we badly need to change direction. From the massive oil spill devastating the Gulf, to the Wall Street bailouts, Main Street layoffs, and skyrocketing health care costs — the jury is in. Our leaders are taking us down the wrong path. We need change now.
Fortunately, you can vote for real change this year in the race for governor of Massachusetts. I’m running against three insider candidates awash in campaign donations from wealthy special interests and corporate lobbyists who want to protect business as usual. These insider candidates have also been a part of the big parties that deregulated the financial industry, promoted dangerous oil drilling, wasted billions on misguided wars, and orchestrated a massive transfer of wealth from middle class and working families to the richest Americans. So if you’re OK with the bailouts, the layoffs, the ripoffs and payoffs, then you should vote for a “major” candidate. You can count on them to give you more of the same.
But if you want to vote for a real change in direction, then vote for me.
Jun 14, 2010
VA: Conservative Independent Vows Challenge to Democrat-Republican Establishment
From WFIR:
Independent Candidate Jeff Clark says he is in the 5th District Congressional race to stay, and will face both Democrat Congressman Tom Perriello and Republican Robert Hurt this fall. Clark is a Danville businessman who believes Hurt is not a sufficiently conservative challenger to Perriello.Follow the link for the audio.
Hurt racked up a solid win in Tuesday's Republican primary. A leading political analyst says with or without a third candidate, this race could easily swing either way in November. More from News/Talk 960's Evan Jones.
OK: Independent Candidate for Congress Slams Congressional Cowardice
From the Edmond Sun:
Congress is full of “fundraisers” who are scared to take a stand on any issue until disaster is upon them, said Dave White, an Independent candidate for the U.S. Congress, 5th District of Oklahoma.
“They see these problems that are coming way off in the distance. Yet nobody has the backbone to be fixing those things until the disaster is upon us,” said White, a 1987 Naval Academy graduate with a degree in economics who served his country as a Navy SEAL officer.
“Social Security is going bankrupt, yet there’s not a one of them willing to stick their neck out,” White said.
Social Security is a promise made to senior citizens, he said. Protecting Social Security will require gradually pushing back the age eligibility beyond age 70, said White of Deer Creek.
“I switched my party because first of all, the Republican Party has become too liberal for me during the past few years,” White said.
NC: Union Backed Independent Candidate for Congress Files Petition for Ballot Access
From WNCT:
A union-backed movement has turned in what it believes are enough signatures for an independent candidate to run in a key North Carolina congressional district. A spokesman for the group North Carolina Families First said it turned in more than 35,000 signatures to county election offices in the 8th District by Thursday's deadline. The final batch was turned in Thursday morning in Charlotte. Elections officials will verify whether the group has collected signatures from nearly 17,000 registered voters so Wendell Fant can run against Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell in November.
IA: Independent Candidate for Governor Jonathan Narcisse
From Uncovered Politics:
Iowa's race for Governor this year currently features four candidates. The major party nominees are incumbent Governor Chet Culver, a Democrat, and former Governor Terry Branstad, the Republican. The other party nominee in the race is Libertarian Eric Cooper, who lost an extreme amount of weight in preparation for his campaign. Running as an independent is Jonathan Narcisse -- a newspaper publisher, former member of the Des Moines School Board and former Democratic activist.
Jun 13, 2010
Chuck Baldwin: Collapse of American Empire is "Inevitable"
From Chuck Baldwin:
People all over America are discussing freedom’s future. In short, they are worried. In fact, many are actually talking about State secession. In coffee shops and cafes, and around dining room tables, millions of people are speaking favorably of states breaking away from the union. Not since the turn of the twentieth century have this many people thought (and spoken) this favorably about the prospect of a State (or group of states) exiting the union. In my mind, this is a good thing. Even many of those who oppose the prospect of secession understand the increasing tyrannical nature of the current central government in Washington, D.C., and that something must be done about it.
Jun 12, 2010
TX: Libertarians Seek to Break Open Demcratic-Republican Duopoly Lock on Office
From the AP:
With much of the electorate now embracing their contempt for big government and oppressive regulation, members of the Texas Libertarian Party believe that they are finally getting a long-overdue measure of respect as they prepare to choose their nominees for governor and other statewide offices.
Though still overshadowed by Republicans and Democrats, Libertarians say the political mood is trending in their direction, exemplified by the rise of the Tea Party movement and seething anger at the status quo in Washington.
Rand Paul Continues to Distance Himself from Libertarian Party
From the Huffington Post:
Republican Rand Paul said Tuesday he differs with the Libertarian Party by opposing abortion and supporting judicious overseas troop deployment, distancing himself from the party his father once represented in a presidential election.
The U.S. Senate candidate from Kentucky told syndicated conservative talk show host Sean Hannity that he doesn't fit the mold of a Libertarian. Paul said his conservative social views and willingness to send troops abroad to protect the U.S. set him apart from the party some have tried to associate him with.
SC: Disgraced Racist Republican Legislator Derides GOP as "Libertarian"
From Politico:
The Lexington County, South Carolina Republicans voted last night to censure State Senator Jake Knotts, and to ask him to resign, for calling Nikki Haley and Barack Obama "ragheads." Knotts's response:
"This is not a Republican Party, this is a libertarian party,” Knotts said, noting the group did not censure Sanford last year after he admitted an extramarital affair. “This is nothing but politics. I’m not resigning. I could care less.”
AR: Libertarian Party Chair Sets Out Organizing Goals
From Rodger Paxton of the Arkansas Libertarian Party:
The most important thing for me at this moment is achieving ballot access in 2012. I think that taking care of the petitioning in 2011 will give us plenty of time to secure candidates and get our message spread far and wide . . . Without membership, we are not a party. Without membership, we can’t go anywhere. Without membership, we are dead. Our membership MUST grow. . . . As with membership, without money, we can’t do anything. We can’t achieve ballot access. We can’t support candidates. We can’t make a difference. We are not here to be a debate club. We are here to bring True Liberty to the People of Arkansas, and as chair, it is my duty to do that.
Jun 11, 2010
CA: Green Party Supports Lawsuits and Initiatives to Nullify Prop 14
From IPR:
Greens support lawsuit, consider initiative to nullify Prop. 14; Measure is a clear example of how big money buys California elections, charges Green Party gubernatorial nominee.
The Green Party of California’s gubernatorial nominee Wednesday called the passage of Prop. 14 and near victories of Prop. 16 and 17 clear examples of how big money is buying elections in California, using tens of millions of dollars to mislead voters. The state’s most progressive political party said it is mulling its options after Tuesday, including joining a lawsuit to overturn Prop.14 and a possible statewide initiative to nullify it.
Green Party Watch Editorial on Green Party of Texas Petition "Scandal"
From Green Party Watch:
The following is an editorial, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Green Party of the United States or Green Party Watch. This week it was revealed that: a) a Republican consultant in Arizona arranged for… b) a non-profit corporation in Missouri to pay $200,000 for… c) a petitioning company “Free & Equal” to collect 92,000 signatures and… d) give them as a gift to the Green Party of Texas to get a slate of candidates on the ballot.
Are Democrats pissed? You betcha. They are suing the Texas Green Party, Free & Equal, and “Take Initiative America” to delay the balloting of Green Party candidates until they can determine the source of the funding, and they are pointing fingers at Texas Governor Rick Perry.
CA: News Outlet Profiles Gayle McLaughlin, Green Mayor of Richmond
From the Richmond Confidential:
Richmond mayor Gayle McLaughlin isn’t the untested commodity she was four years ago, when she drew national headlines by becoming the nation’s only big-city Green Party mayor . . . The journey from rabble-rousing candidate to sometimes-embattled municipal leader has been a learning experience, and sometimes a bruising one, she said acknowledged during a wide-ranging interview at the downtown offices of the Richmond Progressive Alliance, a local political group she co-founded.
NY: Green Candidate for Governor Blasts Democrat/Republican Candidates for Ties to Wall St.
From Green Party Watch:
The Legislative Gazette published an article with New York Green Party gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins‘ view of Democratic candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Rick Lazio:
Hawkins says both Andrew Cuomo and Rick Lazio, the Democratic and Republican nominees for governor, respectively, both represent Wall Street and not the average worker in New York.
OR: Pacific Green Party Nominates Slate of Candidates
From Green party Watch:
At last weekend’s convention in Eugene, the Pacific Green Party of Oregon nominated a number of candidates for office by consensus. Tim Dehne of Corvallis was nominated for the Benton County Commission seat currently held by Linda Modrell. Mr. Dehne has served on the Soil and Water Conservation District board. Alex Polikoff of Corvallis, 2008 candidate for congress in the 5th district, was nominated for the Oregon House, District 15.
Jun 10, 2010
FL: Poll Shows Independent with Significant Support in Gubernatorial Race
From the Ledger:
Bud Chiles, son of the late Gov. Lawton Chiles, who announced only last week that he will run for governor as an independent candidate, is off to a relatively good start for his first race, a USF political science professor said.
Results from a Quinnipiac University Poll released today showed that if the candidates for governor were Republican Rick Scott, Democratic Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Chiles, the independent, Chiles would get 13 percent of the vote. Scott would get 35 percent and Sink 26 percent with 26 who didn’t know or gave no answer.
If the candidates for governor were Sink, Chiles and Attorney Gen. Bill McCollum as the Republican, Chiles would get 19 percent, according to the poll. McCollum would get 33 percent and Sink would get 25 percent with 23 percent of voters interviewed in the poll saying they didn’t know or gave no answer.
ME: Party Primaries Leave Gubernatorial Race Open for Independents
From the Washington Independent:
Maine voters widened the opportunity to elect their third independent in six governors when they went to the polls, campaign watchers said Wednesday. What was once a field bulging with about two dozen candidates was winnowed to five Tuesday as Waterville Mayor Paul LePage scored a stunning win in the seven-way Republican primary, and state Senate President Libby Mitchell beat three rivals to win the Democratic nomination. The major party candidates join three independents in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. John Baldacci.
Eliot Cutler, whose political background and access to funding make him the leading independent candidate, was quick to stake out the middle ground, saying the Democrats and Republicans "reverted to their old, ideological habits in a year when the vast majority of Maine voters could care less about party labels."
VA: Conservative Independent to Challenge Democratic and GOP Establishment Candidates in CD-5
From WSET:
Danville, VA - Now that State Senator Robert Hurt has won the Republican primary, an Independent candidate has announced he will stay in the race for the 5th district house seat. Jeffrey Clark, a Danville business owner, says he would have dropped out had one of the other six candidates won. He doesn't find Hurt to be conservative enough, so he's running against him.
IL: Call for Equal Coverage for Third Party Candidates
A letter to the editor of the Chicago Tribune calls the paper out for its bias against third party and independent candidates:
While I can understand that the Green Party has slight chance of winning in the November elections, the newspaper does the readers a disservice by not shedding equal light on all candidates and not just the Republican and Democratic candidates. Okay, you include the Independent candidate sometimes too. Please be more balanced in the reporting and include equal time for all candidates running in the upcoming election in November.
-- J. Brennan, Chicago
Jun 9, 2010
OR: Green Slate Begins to Take Shape
From Oregon Live:
The Pacific Green Party met in Eugene this weekend and nominated former state Sen. Walt Brown of Lake Oswego to be its candidate for state treasurer. Brown, a Democratic senator from 1975-87, also ran as the Socialist Party USA candidate for president in 2004 as well as four times in the 3rd Congressional District under the Socialist banner. Seth Woolley, the Pacific Green Party secretary, said no candidate was nominated for governor, but he said one might emerge later.
Communist Party Continues to Embrace Democratic Party Policy and Agenda
From the Daily Caller:
Comrades flocked to New York City two weeks ago for the 29th national convention of the Communist Party USA. While reviewing materials from the event, we had a sudden sense of déjà vu: the feeling that we had heard these talking points before. Maybe you have as well — they’re espoused, in near identical form, by the president and his fellow Democrats . . . The point isn’t that Obama’s a communist (though it’s amusing to watch Sam Webb, chairman of the CPUSA, deny such a charge while arguing with Glenn Beck about the redistribution of marshmallow peeps). It’s useful, though, to compare the substance of Democratic and communist rhetoric, which differs mainly in degree. You may conclude — especially if you lean left — that the Communist Party USA is more moderate and mainstream than you thought.
CA: Anti-Illegal Immigration Group Names Chelene Nightingale "True Reformer"
From PRLog:
Already touted as being the "wildcard" in California's Gubernatorial sweepstakes in November, the darling of the Tea Party movement, Chelene Nightingale, received another boost today, when it was announced that she has swept the field of California Governor candidates in the survey conducted by "NUMBERSUSA," America's premier organization opposing illegal immigration, amnesty and open border policies, earning her the coveted designation as "True Reformer." Several of the positions of both Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner, each often touted by their own campaigns as being "tough on immigration," were labeled to be "unknown" or "uncertain" by NUMBERSUSA.
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