James McMillan III, December 1, 1946 (New Smyrna Beach, Fla.) -
VP candidate for Free Pony Party (2012)
Running mate with nominee: Vermin Love Supreme (b. 1961)
Popular vote: ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
By 2012 New York's flamboyant perennial candidate Jimmy McMillan and his Rent is Too Damn High Party was already well known across the nation. Although famous as the founder of the RITDH Party, McMillan was in fact registered as a Democrat and switched his registration in Oct. 2010 to the Republican Party in order to run in their 2012 primaries. He filed with the FEC in Feb. 2011 and did campaign as part of a major party but in the end did not participate in Republican debates or appear on any ballots.
When asked in 2011 why he was running for President and not Mayor of NYC, McMillan answered--
I thought about that, but I'm more worried about the information. Running for President now...they're not talking about the issues. I need to keep these issues at the forefront. I might just run for mayor, but I want Barack Obama to maintain the Presidency. I just want to shut these Republicans down—you're scaring the hell out of everybody! I want a young Republican to come up and run with the issues to get the country on the right track. I'm like a rabbit in a marathon, I want to get in here to set the pace. If the President can't keep up with me, he's going to lose. I'll say to him like I said it on national television, Barack Obama, I'll run for President of the United States. I have issues, they don't. You want to talk about Politics. The country is in a 14 trillion dollar debt and you're raising the debt ceiling and everyone's out of a job. Jimmy McMillan is over here, Barack Obama here, I'm talking How To Fix, he's talking Politics. I'm trying to get into the presidential debate, that's my uphill battle.
McMillan addressed the perception that the Rent is Too Damn High Party was a single-issue entity concerned only with affordable housing--
The office of the president is supposed to be bi-partisan. Some people are for issues like birth control and abortion and some people are not. You can’t choose sides. When it comes to abortion and gay marriage this is a bi-partisan conversation. The president of the United States should not take a position on these issues.
As president you have to be focused on economic issues. You should be worried about the American people having a roof over their head, food on the table and money in their pockets. How are they going to survive when there are no jobs? How am I going to help create new businesses?
Jimmy McMillan is not a skit from Saturday Night Live or Comedy Central. I don’t have a lot of money. I am running this campaign with money I get from retirement, no one is giving me any money. I am speaking from a perspective no one else can see.
I was caught in a rainstorm last week. I was sitting in my car watching the rain fall on my windshield. I see rain different from you. I see the rain as the tears from the people who are suffering and I need to help them throughout these economic crises. I am here to help those who are hurting.
On Groundhog Day, 2012 McMillan "debated" performance artist Vermin Supreme, who was engaged in running for President in the Democratic primaries. Later as both of their attempts within the major parties fizzled, they continued to campaign in their own third parties. On Aug. 25 Supreme announced the formation of the Free Pony Party. A pact was made with McMillan that they would serve as the running-mate for the other, a "double-meme team," as Supreme put it.
However, McMillan's role as a Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidate came to an end on Sept. 13, 2012 when he declared he was suspending his campaign in order to concentrate on running for Mayor of New York in 2013. In the process he also endorsed Obama--
President Barack Obama messed up. Republican Party had a chance to beat him ... But when the Republican Party decided to choose Mitt Romney, Mitt Romney said he don’t support the very poor. How can I support him? So, even though Barack Obama don’t know what he’s doing, I have no choice but to vote for Barack Obama to keep the Republican Party out.
Election history:
1993 - Mayor of New York City (Rent is Too Damn High Party) - disqualified from ballot
1994 - Governor of New York (Rent is Too Damn High Party) - defeated
1996 - Republican nomination for US President - defeated
2000 - Democratic nomination for the US Senate - defeated
2005 - Mayor of New York City (Rent is Too Damn High Party) - defeated
2006 - Governor of New York (Rent is Too Damn High Party) - defeated
2009 - Mayor of New York City (Rent is Too Damn High Party) - defeated
2010 - Democratic nomination for Governor of New York - withdrew
2010 - Governor of New York (Rent is Too Damn High Party) - defeated
2012 - Republican nomination for US President - withdrew
2012 - US President (Rent is Too Damn High Party) - suspended
2013 - Mayor of New York City (Rent is Too Damn High Party) - defeated
2014 - Governor of New York (Rent is Too Damn High Party) - disqualified from ballot
2016 - Republican nomination for US President - withdrew
2017 - New York City Council (Republican/Rent is Too Damn High Party) - defeated
2018 - Governor of New York (Rent is Too Damn High Party) - disqualified from ballot
Other occupations: US Army (Vietnam War), musician, male stripper, private security, author, bouncer, postal worker, actor
Notes:
Was a write-in in the 1994 election.
Winner of the 2005 and 2009 elections was Mike Bloomberg.
Opponents in 2006 included Eliot Spitzer (winner) and Maura DeLuca.
Winner of the 2010 election was Andrew Cuomo.
Winner of the 2013 election was Bill de Blasio.
Endorsed Trump in 2016.
