Third Party Second Bananas 2020 Election Results
Since the 2020 election results are mostly concluded I thought it might be interesting to see how the VP candidates I interviewed fared.
The interviews are by far the most popular posts in this blog. I requested an audience with nearly all of the major 3rd party running-mates and many more obscure ones. In some cases the individual agreed, I sent the questions, and then they were never heard from again. One person just flat out said no way. Most simply ignored me upon my initial request. So I am very appreciative of the candidates who did contribute.
I tried my best to be objective in my queries. This was not an exercise in "gotcha" but rather a nonacademic and informal introduction to their platform and experiences for a general audience. My agenda is educational, not political.
I rank the VP candidates first by their national result then I include their ranking by the number of hits on this blog with some notes. Keep in mind that as of now this blog has 784 posts and nearly all of these are in the top 20 in terms of views.
Here goes--
Darcy Richardson, Alliance Party
https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2020/10/darcy-richardson-2020-vp-alliance-party.html
National result - 5
Blog - 17
Richardson was the late entry in this list but also the best-known "name" candidate. After I sent Richardson the interview questions he was also nominated for VP by the Reform Party. He was on the ballot 14 states + 5 write-ins.
Amar Patel, American Solidarity Party
https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2019/10/amar-patel-2020-vp-american-solidarity.html
National result - 10
Blog - 1
The ASP had their online marketing act together more than anyone else listed here, linking to TPSB through Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, and numerous lesser known sources making it no wonder that the interview is far and away the most popular post in this blog, accounting for 21% of all the combined hits I received here. On the ballot in 8 states + 25 write-ins.
Eric Bodenstab, Unity Party of America
https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2020/04/eric-bodenstab-2020-vp-unity-party-of.html
National result - 13
Blog - 8
Twitter was the main link to TPSB in this case. On the ballot in 3 states.
John de Graaf, Bread and Roses Party
https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2020/05/john-de-graaf-2020-vp-bread-and-roses.html
National result - 14
Blog - 6
Facebook was the main social media used by the BRP. This interview generated some interesting comments. On the ballot in 2 states.
Phil Collins, Prohibition Party
https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2019/06/phil-collins-2020-vp-nominee.html
National result - 15
Blog - 7
Collins was still the VP nominee when he supplied me with probably the most minimalist answers of anyone I interviewed. Less than 3 months after the posting Collins was promoted to the Presidential nomination due to the resignation of the previous nominee. The 15th place national result combines the votes of Collins as President and as VP, where he was still listed as such. The Prohibition Party provided links to TPSB via Facebook, Wikipedia, and their own website. Collins also won the American Independent Party primary in California, but was not nominated. On the ballot in 5 states, 4 write-ins.
Blake Huber, Approval Voting Party 2016 VP and 2020 Presidential nominee
https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2020/04/blake-huber-approval-voting-party-2016.html
Frank Atwood, Approval Voting Party 2020 VP and 2016 Presidential nominee
https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2020/06/frank-atwood-approval-voting-party-2020.html
National result - 31
Blog - not in top 20
As far as I can ascertain the APP used no social media to link to the TPSB interviews. They were on the ballot in two states.
Enrique Ramos, American Free Soil Party
https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2019/05/enrique-ramos-vp-nominee-american-free.html
National result - n/a
Blog - 9
Doesn't look like the AFSP were on the ballot or registered as write-ins in any state. Their self-generated web presence appears to have vanished quite some time before the election.
Heather Bradford, Socialist Action
https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2019/06/heather-bradford-2020-vp-social-action.html
National result - n/a
Blog - 5
Doesn't look like SA were on the ballot or registered as write-ins in any state. SA was very energetic in linking this interview to Facebook and their various webpages.
Rudy Reyes, Legal Marijuana Now Party
https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2019/07/rudy-reyes-2020-vp-legal-marijuana-now_23.html
National result - n/a
Blog - 3
Reyes became the Presidential nominee of the Legal Marijuana Now Party ca. Mar. 2020 when Presidential nominee Mark Elworth Jr stepped down to run for US Congress as a Democrat in Nebraska. After winning the primary Elworth switched back to the LMNP and resumed his top spot on the ticket while Reyes once again became the VP. In August 2020 the LMNP dropped their ticket and endorsed Howie Hawkins. LMNP had provided links to TPSB via Facebook and Wikipedia promoting the Reyes campaign. The Wikipedia entry for Reyes has since been deleted.
Henry Jackson, Real Democracy Party
https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2020/06/henry-jackson-2020-vp-real-democracy.html
National result - n/a
Blog - 13
No votes were reported for the RDP and I could not find them listed as a registered write-in, although the website says they are in New York. There was an initial burst of hits following the interview via Twitter or Facebook.
