Max James Riekse, April 14, 1947 (Muskegon, Mich.) -
VP candidate for New American Independent Party (2008)
Running mate with nominee: Frank Edward McEnulty (b. 1956)
Popular vote: 0 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
Frank McEnulty, a California estate agent filed with the FEC for President in Feb. 2007 as an independent but that did not prevent him from entering the Republican primaries, at least in Arizona. On Mar. 11, 2008 he gained the nomination of the newborn New American Independent Party. Shortly after his nomination, he was in Alaska seeking the endorsement of the Alaska Independence Party alongside members of the American Independence Party and was identified by Alaskan media as a member of the AIP. It does get confusing, doesn't it? He was also a contender for the Reform Party nomination but lost out to Ted Weill, so he became the running-mate July 2008.
It was erroneously reported on some outlets that McEnulty announced he was going to drop his own Presidential campaign in order to campaign full time as the Reform Party VP. McEnulty was definitely running under both banners. It is not unheard of for a candidate to be running for President on one ticket and be the VP on another in the same election. William Jenner in 1956 is one example that springs to mind, and Dick Gregory in 1968 although McEnulty's case was more deliberate.
McEnulty's statement on the matter:
At the Reform Party Convention, held recently in Dallas, TX, I was selected to be their Vice Presidential Candidate to run on the ticket with Ted Weill, the Presidential candidate. I am honored to accept this nomination and see this as an important step in uniting the various third party groups around the country into a stronger, more effective voice.
To that end, I am continuing my independent run for president in the other states in which the Reform Party does not have ballot access. I firmly believe the answer for a better America is in a strong, viable third party that will address the views and needs of the Moderate Majority Americans being ignored by the Democrats and Republicans.
I want to reiterate that I am still the New American Independent Party Presidential candidate for the 2008 election and have discussed this strategy at length with Michael Thompson the Chairman of the NAIP. We are continuing our ballot access efforts and hope that this latest development will help our message to be heard in more states. Thank you for your continued support.
The NAIP was formed in 2004 with an eye to the middle class as a political base. Although the Party attempted to hold the center, it generally came off appearing to be sort of a Libertarian-lite, preaching the gospel of a small federal government, more local control, fiscal conservatism, personal responsibility, less government intrusion into personal lives, and an end to political party tribalism. McEnulty himself was a great admirer of Reagan and a NRA supporter.
In Feb. 2008 McEnulty told an interviewer about his parameters for a VP selection--
I will be looking for someone who is smart, wants what is best for all Americans, is a moderate, a fiscal conservative and will put forth the time and effort to run in a real campaign. I also believe that my running mate needs to be a business person because the government is a business and needs to run more like one. I’m not worried about being outsiders in the Washington scene, because I believe that gridlock is good for the following reason. If there is gridlock, then only legislation that makes sense for all Americans and benefits the vast majority of all Americans will get passed. We’ve got hundreds of thousands of laws. We don’t need new ones every day.
For reasons that are not clear, McEnulty had 9 different running-mates. He made the ballot only in Colorado, and attempted to be a registered write-in in the remainder.
One such running-mate was Max Riekse aka "Mad Max" Riekse of Michigan, a perennial candidate who ran for a variety of public offices under a multitude of party labels since 1972.
In 2008 Riekse was campaigning for the 2008 AND 2012 Presidential elections at the same time. And as long as he was covering his bets, Rieske's campaign brochure stated: MAD MAX RIEKSE for PRESIDENT, MM - 2008 & 2012 CONSTITUTION PARTY/AIP/USTPP/American Party, etc.
He had tried for the Presidential nomination of the American Independent Party and the Constitution Party. Riekse also made an unsuccessful attempt for the NAIP Presidential nomination and subsequently become one of McEnulty's running-mates. Yet Riekse's webpage still had him running for President as an independent so it is possible he never withdrew from the race as a Presidential candidate.
"I have over 32 years in the military so I understand how the federal bureaucracy works, and I've been a student of international issues for more than 40 years," Riekse said when explaining his credentials.
A statement he made for the American Independent Party primary in California in Feb. 2008 presented his resume and platform in a nutshell--
Mad Max Riekse: www.madmaxforpresident.com; Retired US Army, LTC; Vietnam War & Iraq War Veteran; Retired Public School Teacher; B.A. University of South Florida: Political Science & International Relations; two M.A.’s/WMU: Political Science, International Relations, Education, US & World History. Educate America. A return to a Republic & Constitutional government as envisioned by our Founding Fathers will bring peace & prosperity to all American citizens & the world at large. We were founded as a Republic blessed by God with a Constitution & Bill of Rights. Stop the Wars in Iraq & Afghanistan; No War with Iran. Focus on Peace in the Middle East & throughout the world. Send all illegal immigrants home now. They are here illegally. No amnesty, birthright citizenship – anchor babies, social security, free education, health care, welfare, & unemployment to illegal’s & non-US citizens. Lower taxes, less government; cut the Federal gas & diesel tax 70%; No to Free Trade: NAFTA; no Mexican truckers in the USA. Eliminate Federal taxes on all Military & Federal pensions & Social Security recipients; eliminate the IRS & Federal Income Tax; cut Chinese imports that destroy American jobs with decent benefits, health care & pensions; Save Social Security; along with US manufacturing & trucking job’s; support American farmers; & reduce dependence on foreign oil by promoting alternative energy sources from wind, water & sun for a cleaner & healthier America. A return to a constitutional government will bring peace and prosperity to all American citizens. God Bless America. www.madmaxforpresident.com
The McEnulty/Riekse ticket apparently never made the ballot or were registered as write-ins in any state. They were considered the official team for Alaska, California, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin.
The New American Independent Party changed their name to the Citizens Party of the United States by the 2012 election.
Election history:
1972 - Florida State House of Representatives (Republican) - defeated
ca1974 - Park's Commissioner (Fruitport Township, Mich.) (served two terms)
1976 - Michigan House of Representatives (Democratic) - defeated
1994 - Michigan House of Representatives (Republican) - primary - defeated
1998 - Michigan State Senate (Republican) - primary - defeated
2000 - Michigan State Board of Education (US Taxpayers Party) - defeated
2002 - Michigan State Senate (Reform Party of the United States of America) - defeated
2008 - US President (Independent) - defeated
2008 - Constitution Party nomination for US President - defeated
2008 - Constitution Party nomination for Vice-President - defeated
2008 - New American Independent Party nomination for US President - defeated
2008 - American Independent Party nomination for US President - defeated
2012 - Constitution Party nomination for Vice-President - defeated
2012 - American Independent Party nomination for US President - defeated
2012 - Michigan House of Representatives (Republican) - primary - defeated
2012 - US President (Citizens Party of the United States) - defeated
2014 - Michigan House of Representatives (Republican) - primary - defeated
2016 - Michigan House of Representatives (Libertarian Party) - defeated
2018 - Michigan State Senate (Libertarian Party) - defeated
2020 - US House of Representatives (Mich.) (Libertarian Party) - pending
Other occupations: US Army (Vietnam War, Iraq), teacher, local leader in the Michigan [George] Wallace Action Movement
Notes:
Life Member, National Rifle Association
In Iraq Dec. 2002-Apr. 2004.
