Third Party Watch

Great news for the Green Party as they win their first election of 2006, a seat on the Lake Worth City Commission in Florida…

A 29-year-old mentor of high school students who believes decision-making should come from a community of equals, not from “top-down authoritative government,” beat out a 50-year-old backed by big business Tuesday night.

First-time [...]

This is a rather negative opinion piece on the current state of the Maine Green Party, from community newspaper portal keepMEcurrent.com.

There are about 24,000 registered Green Independent Party members in Maine. That’s about half the number of Mainers who cast ballots in 1854 for the Know Nothing Party. Of course, the Know Nothings had a [...]

Since starting this site I’ve had about a dozen people tell me to join MySpace… and so I finally did. Take that.

(feel free to become my “friend” or whatever it is they call it)

THURSDAY —March 30th, 2006

Today’s candidate of the day is Ozell Daniel for Governor of Hawaii.

Daniel is running as a Libertarian. He’s a comedian, radio producer, and sometimes uses the “alter ego” name Gary GoldenRod. His website prominantly features a photo of the candidate posing with Charlie Murphy, comedian and brother of Eddie Murphy.

The [...]

WEDNESDAY —March 29th, 2006

Today’s candidate of the day is Rob Hodgkinson for Kansas Secretary of State.

Hodgkinson is the Libertarian Party’s candidate as well as the current Chairman of that state’s LP. He owns a wood rot and window replacement business and is a part-time school bus driver.

The website: http://www.robforkansas.com

Lyn Nofziger, a former Reagan spokesman and influential Republican operative died yesterday at the age of 81.

The Reuters wire story on his death concludes with this amusingly candid quote…

“I am a Republican because I believe freedom is more important than government-provided security,” Nofziger said on his Web site.

“Sometimes I wish I were a Democrat because [...]

TUESDAY —March 28th, 2006

Today’s candidate of the day is Xander Patterson for County Commission.

Patterson is the Green Party’s candidate for Multnomah County Commission, District 2 in Oregon.

This is the kind of third party candidate that I really like. In 2000, Patterson was narrowly elected to the county’s Soil and Water Conservation Board with [...]

An Illinois State Senator has decided to pursue an independent campaign for governor of Illinois. He joins a growing list of strong independent and third party candidates running for governor all across the country this year.

From the State Journal-Register…

State Sen. James Meeks of Chicago said Friday he will begin circulating petitions next week to [...]

Some updates from Ballot Access News on the state conventions of the Florida LP and the Nevada Green parties….

At least two state parties held nominating conventions on March 26. The Nevada Green Party nominated Craig Bergland for Governor. The Florida Libertarian Party decided not to nominate any candidates for statewide office, and none for U.S. [...]

MONDAY —March 27th, 2006

Today’s candidate of the day is Jim Lundeen for Governor.

Lundeen is running as an independent for Governor of Ohio, claiming to represent the “Moderate Majority” as his campaign slogan. He is a physician and founder of a statewide medical practice with 14 offices around Ohio.

He’s also working on treating irritable bowel [...]

Nothing shocking here, but at least it’s now official. Michael Badnarik is the 2006 Libertarian nominee in Texas Congressional District 10…

Libertarians nominated six candidates on Saturday for state and federal offices, including former presidential candidate Michael Badnarik for the U.S. Rep. District 10 seat.

Badnarik, the Libertarians’ presidential nominee in 2000, has raised about $200,000 [...]

Things have been really looking up for the Libertarian Party in New Mexico. First they gain a new county-level officeholder and now they’re back on the ballot as a qualified party.

Ballot Access News reports…

On March 24, the New Mexico Secretary of State’s office said that the Libertarian Party’s petition for party status has enough [...]

This item comes from News 8 in Austin, Texas…

Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn filed a federal lawsuit in Austin on Friday over how signatures are counted in her independent bid for governor.

The suit challenges a plan by Secretary of State Roger Williams to manually examine the petition signatures needed to get on the November ballot. Strayhorn’s [...]

FRIDAY —March 24th, 2006

Today’s candidate of the day is Loretta Nall for Governor of Alabama.

Nall is the Libertarian/US Marijuana Party candidate for Governor. Honestly, what can I really say that hasn’t been said here or here over at Hammer of Truth?

The website: http://www.nallforgovernor.com

The Constitution Party filed a slate of 22 candidates to run for Montana State House over the last few days.

From the Billings Gazette:

A last-minute rush this week of filings by candidates from the conservative Constitution Party may end up benefiting someone else in the battle to control the Montana Legislature: Democrats.

Twenty-two Constitution Party candidates filed [...]

Tim Penny re-established his campaign account this week, but he’s not making another run for governor or anything else right now. The Grand Forks Herald has the story:

Tim Penny, the former Democratic congressman turned Independence Party candidate for governor, won’t be staging a political comeback this year.

Penny re-established his gubernatorial campaign committee this week, [...]

THURSDAY —March 23rd, 2006

Today’s candidate of the day is Atlee Yarrow for Governor of Florida.

Yarrow, a Jacksonville resident, is running as the Socialist Party candidate. He is also the state party’s Secretary and has worked in the printing, service, and construction industries over the years.

The website: http://www.yarrowgovernor.org

Mike Grimes of the Minnesota Independence Party was nice enough to share this update on the arrangements for the MNIP’s June state convention…

Typically the Independence Party convention has attendence of between 70 in a non state wide election year, and 200-300 in statewide election years.

This year we have booked a Midway Stadium (a minor league [...]

From News 8 in Austin, Texas…

The biggest race at Manor Downs this weekend was the race for governor.

Independent candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn stopped by the racetrack to collect petition signatures. She needs 45,540 signatures to officially get on the ballot.

The signatures have to come from voters who didn’t participate in the March 7 primary.

Strayhorn said [...]

WEDNESDAY —March 22nd, 2006

Today’s candidate of the day is W. David Perry for U.S. Congress.

Perry is the Constitution Party’s candidate for Congress in Utah’s CD-2, running against Congressman Jim Matheson. Matheson is a Democrat, amazingly enough.

Perry is a businessman, former Republican, and former Draper City Councilman.

The website: http://www.perry4congress.com

TUESDAY —March 21st, 2006

Today’s candidate of the day is Ben Meiklejohn for Maine State Representative.

Meiklejohn is running as a Green Party candidate for State House in District 120. He made a previous run for state house in District 31, back in 1998. He received 26% of the vote and placed second in that [...]

The folks over at the Constitution Party have given their website a MAJOR facelift. There are still a few obvious kinks that need to be ironed out, but those seem to be getting corrected pretty quickly.

Check it out: http://www.constitutionparty.com

The closely contested race for the Green Party gubernatorial nomination in Oregon has been resolved…

Environmental activist Joe Keating won the Pacific Green Party’s gubernatorial nomination today, marking the end of a down-to-the-wire race whose outcome hinged on a handful of provisional ballots. The week long wait to determine the winner followed a convention held in [...]

MONDAY —March 20th, 2006

Today’s candidate of the day is John Jenkins for Governor of Maine.

Jenkins is a former State Senator and former mayor of Lewiston.

In the past a Democrat, this year he’s running as an independent and is one of several very experienced independent and third party candidates currently running for governor.

The website: http://www.jenkinsforgovernor.com

Allen Hacker, Michael Badnarik’s campaign manager in his Texas Congressional race, has responded to those who have expressed some concern over the fact that the campaign has spent virtually all of the money that is has raised to date.

When I have a chance in the next week or so I hope to do an interview [...]