Robert E. Ling, September 1, 1953 -
VP candidate for Independent (2016)
Running mate with nominee: William Martin Ling (b. 1946)
Popular vote: 1 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
William Martin Ling with a campaign address in Owensboro, Ky. ran as a write-in candidate for President in 2016 in the Bluegrass State. His running-mate was his younger brother Robert E. Ling of Beaver Dam, Ky.
Other brother tickets have included: Larry Brant Sargeant/Perry David Sargeant - American Freedom Party (1976), Lowell Jackson Fellure/James Monroe Fellure - Independent (2000), Diddley Squat V/Bupkes - Hamster Party (2004), Keith Russell Judd/Monty Wayne Judd - Nonpartisan (2008), Randal Gene Trackwell/Byron Lee Trackwell - Bullmoose Progressive Party (2008), Theodore Cleaver/Wallace Cleaver - Give America the Business Party (2008), Diddley Squat/Squit Squat - Hamster Party (2012), Robert John Burck/Kenneth Robert Burck Jr. - Tea Party (2012), Richard Skeen McCormick/Stephen Albert McCormick - KIS Party (2012), Jerry D. Litzel/Jim J. Litzel (twins) - Independent (2012), Kevin M. Thorne/Colin Henry Thorne (twins) - Independent (2012), Michael Shawn Olkowski/Daniel Edward Olkowski - Independent (2016), and Micah A. Payeur/Joshua Herman Payeur - Independent (2016).
According to his autobiography in Facebook. Ling's Presidential aspirations date back several decades--
SINCE THANKSGIVING OF 1974 I HAVE WANTED TO BE PRESIDENT , I REALLY FEEL THAT I AM THE PERSON TO RUN THIS COUNTRY!
* I WILL NOT COMPROMISE ON ANYTHING THAT I BELIEVE IS NOT RIGHT
* I WILL STIRCTLY UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES BY DOING WHAT IS RIGHT
* I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO BEST SERVE ALL PEOPLE
* I WANT TO HELP FEED AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBEL IN THE WORLD
* I WILL WORK HARD TO GET THIS COUNTRY BACK ON ITS FEET
* I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO GET THE BEST CARE POSSIBLE FOR THE ELDERLY, THE POOR AND EVERYONE THAT NEEDS IT
Ling's campaign in 2016 was fairly low-key, but at least one media news outlet did interview him, where the candidate observed, "You have to love people, you have to be able to get along with people, you have to be able to not get upset when somebody does you wrong, you just have to forgive fast and move on."
Ling admitted he had no chance at all of winning in 2016, but expressed a desire to run again in 2020.
Some sources suggest Ling was actually a resident across the border in Indiana, but if he was residing in Kentucky the Constitution might have a potential problem with the President and VP both calling the same commonwealth their domicile in the event of their victory.
Election history: none
Other occupations: ?
Notes:
A quasi-mysterious VP candidate.
