Doris E. Feimer, October 23, 1933 (New Leipzig, ND) - November 5, 2003 (Bismarck, ND)
VP candidate for American Party (1992)
Running mate with nominee: Robert J. Smith (b. ca1934)
Popular vote: 292 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
As the American Party subdivided itself into ballot oblivion, a number of members split off in 1990 and formed the Christian Party (which in itself went nowhere fast). The South Carolina and Rhode Island contingents of the American Party also bailed and supported Howard Phillips of the fast growing new US Taxpayers Party.
In May 1992 the American Party in Utah filed suit against the Independent American Party. The IAP had been founded by anti-porn activist Joy Beech in 1987. The AP claimed the IAP had performed trademark infringement through their name and had lifted part of the AP platform.
But it was all just fighting for scraps. The American Party, which was basically the John Birch Society Party, was quickly becoming a relic of the past and was out-spent and out-manned by other political groups who had absorbed some of the traditional supporters of the AP. The Republicans had co-opted the Christian Right, the Populists were attracting the racists, and the Libertarians had the Jeffersonian small government crowd. On top of that, the Cold War was over and the Soviet Union was extinct.
After a late start, the AP nominated Robert J. Smith, a retired physicist from Taylorsville, Utah, for President. He had experience running as an American Party candidate for the US Senate (1988) and US House (1990). His running-mate was Doris E. Feimer of Bismarck.
Feimer was a very prolific letter-to-the-editor writer. The Bismarck Tribune published this one from her on May 11, 1992. Interesting she modestly does not mention her role as VP:
As an independent candidate for president, Robert J. Smith, a businessman from Utah, heads the ticket for the American Party of the United States. As an independent candidate, he will need 4,000 signatures on petitions for the name to appear on the November ballot in North Dakota.
Robert Smith has a clear stand on the issues. He supports the Second Amendment, so that there will be no Tiananmen Square in this country. Smith believes that federal money must not be used to finance immorality. He opposes abortion and euthanasia.
He advocates that we must put our nation's interests ahead of any "New World Order." The "New World Order" was Adolf Hitler's dream -- it should not be ours.
Robert Smith, as president, will not launch undeclared, no-win wars. A war should never be waged by Americans without a congressional declaration of war.
Voters will be seeing petitions for Robert Smith for president. They can help put this man of principles on the ballot by signing.
Isn't it time we had a man of principles in the White House?
In other letters during the campaign Feimer supported the use of nuclear power, opposed sending more foreign aid, and warned of the dangers of socialized health care. But oddly she never actually identified herself as a candidate for office, or at least I couldn't find such an example.
In their lowest popular vote tally for President, the AP earned 292 votes (0.04%) in Utah, the only state where they were on the ballot.
Election history:
1976 - North Dakota State Treasurer (American Party) - defeated
Other occupations: teacher, office manager, library volunteer, Chair of North Dakota branch of the American Party
Buried: Zion Cemetery (Elgin, ND)
Notes:
Birth surname: Bierwagen.
Taught school in Alaska for several years.
Member of the John Birch Society.
Was held up by two men at gunpoint while working in a hotel office in Oct. 1988.
