Third Party Watch

Antiwar activist Cindy Sheehan reveals her plans for a new national party, to be called the First Party, in this digitaljournal.com interview. She also reflects on her race against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Sean Scallon writes an interesting piece in The American Conservative asserting that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin once was a supporter of Pat Buchanan’s policies, but when he broke with the GOP to become the Reform Party candidate for President, she remained a Republican. He adds:

While remaining with the Republicans, Palin did have contact with [...]

The Modern Whig Party announces that it has opened state chapters in Minnesota, North Carolina, and New Jersey in this media release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9/21/08
Contact: Mike Lebowitz—National Chairman
chairman@modernwhig.org
202-337-0893

IRAQ VETS, ‘SANDBOX’ BLOGGER BRING MODERN WHIGS TO MN

The Modern Whig Party is pleased to announce the addition of three new state chapters. This innovative grassroots political movement now [...]

Under California law a party is qualified to participate in primary (and thus also general) elections if 1) it achieves as many registrants as 1% of the voter turnout in the last regular gubernatorial election, or 2) had a statewide candidate win a 2% share in that election. Here are the registration numbers and selected [...]

Tampabay.com in St. Petersburg reports that the Florida ballot is going to look like a phone book:

Ralph Nader is on the Florida presidential ballot, along with other semi-big names like the Libertarian Party’s Bob Barr, the Green Party’s Cynthia McKinney, and the American Independent Party’s Alan Keyes. Because it’s easier to be a minor [...]

From this article:

...In his letter dated Wednesday, Paul said he never wanted to be on the ballot.
Paul lost a bid for the GOP presidential nomination earlier this year.

“While I certainly appreciate the Constitution Party of Montana’s nomination, and all of the hard work of its members, I am writing to respectfully request that you remove [...]

Ballot Access News

On September 8, the Independent Green Party of Virginia submitted its final paperwork, on who its presidential and vice-presidential candidates are. The party chose Chuck Baldwin and Darrell Castle.

Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens has rejected the presidential nomination offered by the Independent Greens of Virginia, according to this media release from them:

T. Boone Pickens “flattered” by Independent Greens offer to join Presidential Ticket

r Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Oddo 703-338-0200
www.gailparker.us
www.VoteJoinRun.us

T. Boone Pickens responds positively to Independent Greens of Virginia offer to [...]

The following is a media release from the Independent Greens of Virginia:

For Immediate Release
Contact: Joe Oddo 703-338-0200
www.gailparker.us Gail “for Rail” Parker
www.VoteJoinRun.us 703-585-0512©

T. Boone Pickens invited to join Independent Greens Presidential Ticket

The Independent Greens of Virginia were the first state party in America to endorse and join The Pickens Plan on July 7, 2008. [...]

Denver’s Rocky Mountain News reports that it appears Ralph Nader will be running for President in Oregon as the candidate of the newly organized Peace Party:

Don Hamilton, a spokesman for Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, said elections officials will review the party’s nomination on Monday, but “things look to be in order.”

The Whigs in Virginia blog reports that “the Modern Whig Party has announced in an email to its members that it will be adapting the movement’s longterm strategy to include 2009 state and local races. The Washington, DC-based organization put out a call for candidates and appears to be seeking qualified members to run for [...]

The following is a media release from the Independent Greens of Virginia:

For Immediate Release
Monday August 25, 2008
Contact: Joe Oddo 703-338-0200, Independent Greens of Virginia
www.VoteJoinRun.us
VoteJoinRun@aol.com

Donald Trump invited to host Bloomberg nominating convention

Independent Greens of Virginia publicly invite Donald Trump to host an Indy Green nominating convention in New York City.

Last week the Virginia state [...]

The following is a media release from the Independent Greens of Virginia:

For Immediate Release Contact: Joe Oddo 703-338-0200
ndependent Greens of Virginia
Thursday August 21, [...]

The following is a media release from the Boston Tea Party:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
08/21/08
POC Thomas L. Knapp
media@bostontea.us
314-750-6993

BOSTON TEA PARTY COMPLETES TENNESSEE BALLOT DRIVE

Nashville, TN - America’s new libertarian alternative wrapped up its first-ever ballot access petition drive today as Boston Tea Party representatives turned in petition signatures and other paperwork to
state election officials.

Once the signatures are [...]

We told you on Tuesday, August 19 that the Independent Green Party of Virginia had succeeded in getting New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on the ballot in Virginia.

Then we also told you yesterday that the Independent Greens also got Ron Paul on the ballot as Bloomberg’s vice presidential running mate, but that Ballot Access [...]

Oh well, it was a swell idea.

But Ballot Access News says the Michael Bloomberg-Ron Paul ticket won’t appear on the Virginia ballot in November. (Act surprised.)

Although the Independent Green Party of Virginia did circulate a petition for president with those candidates’ names on it, Virginia law explicitly gives the petitioning group the right to [...]

The Whigs in Virginia blog thinks so. It claims it “came upon an interesting email trail that made the rounds this past weekend between the chairmen of the Constitution Party, America First Party and the Libertarian Party. ”

The main topic of discussion was “the idea of merging their organizations into a common cause”:

But out [...]

The New York Daily News reports that the Independent Greens Party of Virginia has received confirmation from the Virginia Board of Elections that its petition drive to get NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg on the presidential ballot has been successful.

The Independent Greens are affiliated with the Independence Party of America, a national organization set up by [...]

The following is a media release from the Modern Whig Party:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/18/08
Contact: Mike Lebowitz—National Chairman
chairman@modernwhig.org
202-337-0893

MODERN WHIG PARTY RECOGNIZES MICHIGAN CHAPTER

The Modern Whig Party is pleased to announce the addition of our Michigan Chapter. This brings to a total of 12 state affiliates. In just over four months, the Modern Whig Party has gained more [...]

The following is a media release from the Modern Whig Party:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
8/7/08
Contact: Mike Lebowitz—National Chairman
chairman@modernwhig.org
202-337-0893

MODERN WHIG PARTY NEARS 10,000 MEMBERS

The Modern Whig Party is pleased to announce that the organization is nearing its initial phase goal of 10,000 members. This influx in membership has been a pleasant surprise as the Executive Committee did not [...]

The Ketchikan Daily News has a running poll asking:

If Alaska primary elections were tomorrow, rather than Aug. 26, which candidate for U.S. Senate would you vote for?

As of today, the leading candidate is Bob Bird of the Alaskan Independence Party, with 35.65% of the vote. Trailing closely behind him is incumbent Republican [...]

The “Whigs in Virginia” blog reports that the old Veterans Party is, in effect, defunct, and most of its military members have migrated to the Modern Whig Party:

The military has a long tradition of having its former members well-represented in politics. In fact, veterans have long engaged in public demonstration and advocacy dating back to [...]

The following is a media release from the Boston Tea Party:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
POC Thomas L. Knapp
media@bostontea.us

BTP CHAIR TO SHADEGG: YOU’RE CONFUSED

Cyberspace—“How many of you remember the Boston Tea Party? This is the Boston Tea Party!” US Representative John Shadegg (R-AZ) said Friday while leading a Republican protest against Congress’s summer recess.

But members of the Boston [...]

Click here for Ballot Access News’s chart, “2008 Petitioning for President.” It gives, state by state, the number of petitions required to be on the presidential ballot, the deadlines, and the status of the Libertarian, Green, and Constitution parties, as well as the independent Nader campaign. Other third parties are found at the [...]

The following is a media release from the Boston Tea Party:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
07/30/08
POC Thomas L. Knapp
admin@bostontea.us
314-750-6993

BOSTON TEA PARTY “OFFICIAL IN FLORIDA;” ADDS AFFILIATES, ENDORSEMENTS

Cyberspace—The Boston Tea Party, America’s new libertarian alternative, is a registration option for Florida’s voters. The
Florida BTP, which filed recognition paperwork earlier this month, now appears on the Secretary of State’s official [...]