PA: Hot Air Pundit Stays True to Form

Ed Morrissey writes at Hot Air:

Rasmussen’s latest survey of likely voters in Pennsylvania shows Republican Pat Toomey maintaining a lead on Joe Sestak outside of the margin of error, 45/38. That’s essentially unchanged since last month, when the nomination bumps dissipated . . . The good news here is that Sestak can’t get above 40%. The bad news is that Toomey thus far can’t get above 50%, which would essentially close the deal. There won’t be a third-party candidate in this race, so the remaining 17% of voters will determine the winner, and at the moment we can’t get a good idea how they will break out. [Emphasis added.]

Morrissey is indeed blowing hot air here. In fact, there are at least four third party candidates for Senate in Pennsylvania. Via Politics1:

Donald John (Constitution Party)
Mel Packer (Green Party) - Physician Assistant, Writer, Ex-Labor Union Organizer & Peace Activist
Doug Jamison (Libertarian) - Engineer
Mike Yilit (Indep. American) - Pastoral Degree Student & Construction Worker

WY: Constitution Party Holds Inaugural State Convention

From Constitution Party News:

You might have thought that coming up 388 petition signatures short, as the result of the Secretary of State disqualifications of a number of signatures, on their all- volunteer 2010 Ballot Access Petition Drive would leave Wyoming's Constitution Party members depressed. deflated and demoralized. Not so, with this hearty group. While slightly disappointed for the short term, these folks, who have evidenced tremendous pioneer spirit, knew that the drive had succeeded in its primary mission: laying the foundation for a solid Constitution Party organization in Wyoming!

The final steps in laying that organizational foundation were taken on July 9 and 10 at the historic inaugural state convention of the Constitution Party of Wyoming that took place in Torrington, WY.

NJ: Constitution Party Candidate for Congress Launches Campaign with Speech on Immigration

From the Daily Journal:

Millville resident Peter F. Boyce plans to launch his campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives Monday night with a speech here on immigration. Millville resident Peter F. Boyce plans to launch his campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives Monday night with a speech here on immigration.

Reformationist Profiles Constitution Party

From the American Reformation Movement blog:

I have written about third parties as consideration and alternate choice in choosing individuals to federal and state offices, to include independent candidates, with the Constitution Party in the forefront of discussion. This article and its continuation will address the political platform of the Constitution Party of the United States officiated by members of the Constitution Party National Executive Committee.

See also part two:

In this second part of the analysis of the Constitution Party political platform, I begin with the section entitled Character and Moral Conduct, an issue that concerns all elected officials in government, applying and enforcing rules for all, identified in the broad scope of the political spectrum, whether it be Democrat, Republican, any third party or independent politician . . .

TX: Democrats Fear Superior Green Party Alternatives to their own Corporatist Puppets, Whine About Political Competition

From the Dallas Morning News blog:

Democrats lost their bid to keep the Texas Green Party off the fall ballot. So while the lawsuit goes on in district court to get to the bottom of who bankrolled a GOP-backed petition drive for the Greens, Democrats are trying to shame Green Party candidates into quitting the race - even if they don't have to. In a new online appeal, Texas Democratic Chairman Boyd Richie asks party loyalists to email the Green Party's statewide nominees asking that they "do the honorable thing and withdraw from the November ballot." The appeal includes email links for people to message each statewide nominee.

Dear Texas Democrats: Take your own advice, do the honorable thing, withdraw from the November ballot.

PA Lawsuit: Democrats Embezzle Taxpayer Money to Keep Green Off Ballot

From Courthouse News Service:

SCRANTON, Pa. (CN) - A former Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate claims the House Democratic Caucus used taxpayer money to fund signature challenges that kept his name off the November 2006 ballot. Carl Romanelli claims Democrats wanted to "enhance the electability of the Democratic nominee ... by eliminating a challenger whose votes would likely come at [Democrat Robert] Casey's expense."
     Romanelli claims in Federal Court that the Democratic Caucus paid nearly $4,000 to get copies of the 3,704 pages of his nominating petitions, which contained 94,544 signatures, immediately after he submitted them.
     The Caucus then illegally created a challenge document by using state employees who "worked day in and day out on the petitions" and "were all paid by the Commonwealth with taxpayer money," Romanelli claims.

Rwandan Green Party Leader Assassinated

From the San Francisco Bay View:

First Vice President Andre Kagwa Rwisereka of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda was found dead, his head almost completely severed from his body, in the wetlands of the Makula River near Butare, Rwanda, on the morning of July 14, 2010. His body had been left approximately 3 kilometers from Butare, where his car had been dumped. He was 61 years old and is survived by four children.

The president, vice treasurer, communications secretary and secretary general of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda traveled to Butare yesterday in response to reports that Rwisereka had disappeared and that his car had been found abandoned. Today the party issued a release announcing that Rwisereka had been assasssinated and that his brother, Antoine Haguma, had confirmed seeing his body, with his head almost completely severed. The Rwanda Greens also reported that Rwisereka’s national ID, driver’s license, house keys and car keys were found inside the car, now parked at police headquarters in Huye-Butare town and that his passport had been found in his house in TABA-Butare.

Poll: 57% Majority Say National Third Party a "Good Idea," 4% Note that They "Already Exist"

A new poll from Fox News:

A 57-percent majority thinks it would be a good idea if a third national political party were formed to run against the Democrats and Republicans. Thirty percent think a third party is a bad idea. Two out of three independents (67 percent) think a third party is a good idea, while half of Republicans (50 percent) and over half of Democrats (58 percent) agree.

Taking a closer look at the poll itself (pdf), 10% responded that they "don't know" whether this would be a good idea, while 4% answered that national third parties "already exist" (p. 3 of the poll).

ID: Kemp Says Republicans and Democrats are "Long on Talk and Short on Action"

From the Idaho Statesman:

Independent gubernatorial candidate Jana Kemp says GOP Gov. Butch Otter and Democratic nominee Keith Allred are long on talk and short on action. Kemp, a former GOP lawmaker from Garden City, runs Meeting & Management Essentials, which advises organizations on improving productivity, morale and profit in their day-to-day business meetings.

Kemp has submitted an essay to Idaho media titled, "Ideas, Ivory Towers or Action for Idaho?  It follows, in full:

FL: Independent Candidate for Congress to Host "Second Amendment Fundraiser"

From Florida Today:

an independent candidate for Congress in the Big Bend is hosting a "Second Amendment fundraiser" that offers a chance to fire an AK-47 automatic rifle. He's also raffling off a big-bore pistol.

"Fun for the whole family, but those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult," says the invitation from Paul McKain, a no-party candidate for the 2nd District congressional seat now held by U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Monticello.

NE: Independent Candidate for Congress Calls for Conservative Leadership

From the Grand Island Independent:

Dan Hill of Grand Island officially announced his candidacy as an independent candidate for Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District Tuesday and came out swinging against Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., as being too "timid" as a leader.

Smith is seeking re-election for a third two-year term. His Democratic challenger is Rebekah Davis of Alliance.  Hill said he is a lifelong Republican conservative and if he was currently serving Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District, his voting record would nearly be identical to Smith's now.

But, Hill said, his problem with Smith is not his voting record, but that Smith "... is not a leader."  "He is quiet," Hill said. "He is a wallflower in the House of Representatives. The real choice in this election is between two conservatives, one of which is timid."

Hill said there's an urgent need for leadership in Congress and "bold action."

IN: Board of Elections and Police Railroad Independent Candidate for County Clerk

From JCOnline:

Christopher Stried is contesting the decision passed down Tuesday from the Tippecanoe County election board to leave his name off the November ballot.  Stried, a recent Purdue University graduate, filed paperwork to run as an independent for county clerk. The board voted unanimously Tuesday to deny his petition for ballot placement because of questions over the wrong forms being used and a questionable address Stried listed as his residence.


Independent candidate signatures were due by June 30, and noon Thursday was the deadline for candidates to file a declaration of candidacy following the verification of signatures. Stried submitted more than 1,000 signatures in May, but election officials did not sign off on the paperwork.

Stried accused officials of "baseless nitpicking" and said he's being railroaded.

EU Pirate Party MP Storms Out of Secretive ACTA Negotiations over Transparency Issues

From the Register:

The level of secrecy shrouding the EU’s ACTA negotiations reached new heights earlier this week, with the news that Pirate Party MEP Christian Engstrom felt compelled to abandon a meeting with ACTA negotiators in the European Parliament after he was forbidden from sharing information with the public.

According to a write-up on TorrentFreak, a blog dedicated to bringing the latest news about BitTorrent, Commission negotiators were scheduled to update European parliamentarians on progress in the latest round of ACTA negotiations in Lucerne.

An invite went out to Pirate Party MEP Christian Engstrom, but the meeting was closed to the public and, he was informed, he was not allowed to share any information he obtained at the meeting with his electors.

Otter Limits Puts Spotlight on Third Parties

The Otter Limits blog has begun a series of posts spotlighting various third parties, including the Constitution Party, the Boston Tea Party and the Modern Whig Party.  On the Modern Whigs, Otter writes:

Something that appeals to me about this party is their focus on state's rights.  In their tenet on Fiscal responsibility they state that their philosophy "is to empower the states with the resources to handle their unique affairs" and in their tent on States' rights they state that "Each state can determine its course of action based on local values and unique needs."

I really like the idea of letting the states handle most of its affairs and making the federal government handle only what it is prescribed to do so in the United States Constitution. You remember that? The document our country was founded on?

LA: Republican Lawmaker Declares Independence from Party

From Ballot Access News:

Louisiana Representative Ernest D. Wooton recently changed his voter registration from “Republican” to “independent”, and he also filed to run for U.S. Senate as an independent candidate.  Wooton has been in the legislature since 1999, and he will continue to be in the legislature through 2011, assuming he doesn’t resign or die.  He represents Plaquemines Parish, in the extreme southeast corner of the state.  He was also Sheriff of Plaquemines Parish 1984-1992.

LA: Libertarians to Hold Historic Primary Election

From NOLA:

The Libertarian Party will hold its first-ever Louisiana primary next month, when Anthony "Tony G" Gentile faces Randall Todd Hayes in the race for the U.S. Senate. It also will be the last one unless lawmakers change their minds on how federal elections should be held in the state.

KY: Libertarian Party Denounces Tea Party Groups for Abandoning Principles, Blindly Promoting Republicans

From Independent Political Report:

On Tuesday, the Libertarian Party of Kentucky criticized the Tea Party organizations in Lexington and Louisville for abandoning their core principles and blindly promoting Republicans, despite the Tea Party movement having its roots in libertarianism.

These two Tea Party organizations hosted an event together in Frankfort, Kentucky, at which only Republican candidates were invited to speak. All other candidates in those races – including a Libertarian candidate who had spoken at previous Louisville Tea Party events – were denied the opportunity to address the crowd.

MI: Tea Party Groups Hijacked by GOP Denounce Independent Tea Party Ballot Line

From the Bellingham Herald:

Leaders of tea party organizations around Michigan, along with state Republicans, denounced on Wednesday the creation of an official Tea Party political party, calling it a Democratic Party attempt to confuse and deceive voters and dilute the movement's influence.

MD: Conservative Congress Endorses Libertarian

From Muir Boda at the Examiner:

Maryland:  The Libertarian Party's Congressional candidate for the 1st District of Maryland, Dr. Richard Davis, has been endoresed by the Conservative Congress as "True Conservative Candidate". On their page listing Maryland candidates, it is interesting to see Dr. Davis receiving the endorsement over Andy Harris and other Republicans in the 1st District.

FL: Historic Libertarian Primary in the Sunshine State

From News 13:

Central Florida voters are going to see a new name at this year's primary election. Seminole, Volusia and Orange Counties will be the first in Florida to have a Libertarian party primary. It's making history for the state and could be a sign of where politics are heading. We're accustomed to deciding who we want to represent us. Just pick your party. Democrat or Republican.


This year take a look at the first ever Florida candidates from a minor party and make it to the ballot to fight over the chair to be a state representative. The supervisor of elections in Seminole county says the new blood is a good thing. "It's historic, it's great," said Mike Ertel / Supervisor of Election in Seminole County. "It's going to be a good test on voter turnout and it's just great for democracy to have folks that are in a smaller party, you know we may have a smaller political party here but we want to choose who our candidates are going to be."

It's the race between Franklin Perez and Ellen Paul that's making headlines and history.  It's also a sign voters may be looking for a change, a chance to vote for someone other than a right or left wing party.