Matthew Allen Turner
VP candidate for We the People (aka Independent aka Independent Republican aka Unaffiliated) (2012)
Running mate with nominee: Sheila Telles Tittle (b. 1952)
Popular vote: 2,571 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
Sheila "Samm" Tittle, a businesswoman from Fredericksburg, Va. filed with the FEC for President as a Republican in Apr. 2011. When the Republican nomination was slipping her grasp, her continued her campaign as an Independent. Celebrating her outsider status, she told the media, "Politics is the only profession where the more experience one has, the worse he or she becomes."
Tittle's website, which was "Paid for by MADAME PRESIDENT TITTLE," included an autobiography with a bit of family history, prefaced with the following--
My Legal Immigrant Family
Sheila Tittle, commonly known as Samm, has been a successful business woman most of her life, starting back to her earliest age of recollection, where she worked for her affluent Spanish grandparents in Albuquerque, New Mexico. However Samm personally grew up in an underprivileged home in El Paso, Texas. Her mother was of an aristocrat “Blue blood” Spanish family, Don and Dona Gaspar Garcia, whose family were asked by the United States Government to come to the United States to begin, build, and nurture a Spanish influence of growth. This is the backdrop of her respect for all people of Latin culture as well as all people and their cultures and traditions. Her maternal family were of and grew amongst the Apache and Navajo Indian tribes. The fact that Samm was not so privileged, knowing what it is and what it was like to "be without" re-enforces her understanding of many people's plight in becoming part of, “We the People“, of the United States.
Tittle's platform included: anti-abortion -- cut foreign aid by at least 75% -- end big business bailouts -- no amnesty for illegal aliens -- increase border security -- abolish the Federal Reserve -- oppose Affirmative Action -- abolish the US Dept. of Education -- preserve the Electoral College -- pro 2nd Amendment -- repeal Obamacare -- "Marriage, One Man to One Woman" -- pro states' rights -- pro term limits -- "Sharia law in America is impossible as we certainly want to maintain our Laws of Governing, without confusion of meshing several 'other' laws within American justice" -- drastically scale back welfare -- bring the troops home -- make English the official US language.
Tittle wrote, "America can be great again when we return to the principles of the founding fathers, their beliefs in God, constitutional government and traditional morality. God did shed his grace on America; however, unscrupulous politicians, bureaucrats, lawyers, abortionists, bankers, predatory lenders, financial high rollers, secular humanists and greedy political bottom-feeders have nearly destroyed the land of the free and home of the brave."
She also wrote, "The argument of 'Racism' in America is finished. With the 2008 election of Barack Hussein Obama for President of the United States, 43% of American voters basically said 'it is finished'. The equality for all men has finally made it's way and found its foundation in the United States. Those that continue to use 'Racism' or any 'ism' are detractors from what is ahead for America. The poor are poor because they choose to be poor, and the rich are rich because they choose to be rich. The so called 'middle class' choose which side of the table they wish to sit on; knowing clearly that 'when you work, you eat'. 'We the People' create our own Land of Plenty. We all just have to work."
God's name was invoked several times in the campaign, e.g., "Know this for sure, that Our Heavenly Father chooses he who He would choose. To support Mitt Romney you know the people would simply be settling on the rope or the guillotine for their fate, should they choose one from the other politician. We now know that God has revealed the evil and deceitful heart of this President. Our Father has heard our prayers to hold on to our Freedom Jesus died to give us. Now it is up to Us to accept His help. I Samm Tittle will go 'One of us for all of us.' Know this finally that I, Samm am not doing this for money or celebrity, but to be God's servant first, and then our brother's servant; for them and for the love of God."
Tittle's running-mate was Matt Turner of McCalla, Ala. He did not appear to have a large role in the campaign except for posting a few Right-wing memes on Facebook. Tittle never highlighted him as part of the ticket in her political marketing material.
The Tittle/Turner ticket (that sort of sounds like a 1960s Mod Rock group, eh?) made the ballot in Colorado (0.03%) and Louisiana (0.09%) under the We the People banner. We the People has been used as a party designation several times in the past by others, including in the 2008 election with Jeffrey J. Wamboldt/David James Klimisch on the Presidential ballot in Wisconsin. Tittle/Turner were also write-ins in 10 other states.
Tittle ran for President in 2016 and 2020, but with different running-mates. Her 2016 campaign began immediately after the 2012 election as she led her followers in prayer via Youtube and filed with the FEC on Nov. 11, 2012. She also expressed Birther sentiments on Nov. 26, 2012 when commenting on the election results: "Samm Tittle WAS CHEATED OUT OF HER CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS with a fraudulent presidential candidate in 2008 and now 2012 with no Birth Certificate and we all know he was born in Coast Province Hospital in Mombassa Kenya. Thereby cheating Samm Tittle out of her right to be the NATURAL BORN CITIZEN of the United States of America's President. You know people. You know Lawyers. The Electorate keeps yelling that it is IMPERATIVE that this man be stopped before he absolutely destroys the United States of America."
Election history: none
Other occupations: Regional Leader for Primerica Insurance, missionary, Senior Regional Manager for Clearworld Solar
Notes:
Another mystery VP
