Robert Ornelas

 

                                             Above and below, Robert Ornelas and Wiley Drake

Robert Ornelas, ca1972 (California) -

VP candidate for American Independent Party (2012)

Running mate with nominee: Thomas Conrad Hoefling (b. 1960)
Popular vote: 38,372 (0.03%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

OK, this one is a bit tangled to sort out, so here goes--

In 2008 Wiley Drake had run for VP in the American Independent Party in California with Alan Keyes. The controversial minister Drake's name had already been in the news several times. On the humanitarian side, he had provided a place for the homeless on his church parking lots and legal assistance for illegal immigrants. On the homophobic side, he called for a ban on Disney for recognizing Gay partnerships as the same as straight marriages in terms of employee benefits. Drake loudly opposed the appointment of an American ambassador strictly based on sexuality.

In 2007 Drake's name was in a letter of support for James Kopp, convicted sniper, terrorist, and murderer with his targets being abortion doctors. Drake claims he did not authorize the use of his name.

Drake campaigned partly from his pulpit. At first for Gov. Huckabee in the Republican primaries but then for Keyes later in the season. The Americans United for Separation of Church and State advocated for an IRS investigation of Drake. Drake's response was to pray for the death of his enemies.

After the 2008 election Drake went on to, in a very public way, pray for the death of President Obama and of anyone else who displeased him as he urged God to be his hit man. Keyes, Drake and AIP Elector Markham Robinson filed a petition with the Superior Court in California at Sacramento challenging the right of Obama to assume the office of President based on spurious "birther" claims. The action was filed by Gary Kreep of the United States Justice Foundation, an organization characterized by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-Muslim hate group.

Drake filed with the FEC in March 2012 with no party affiliation for his own run for President. He sought the nomination of the California-based American Independent Party and had already selected Christian hip-hopper Robert Ornelas as his running-mate. Ornelas, also known as "Battle Ax," or Robert SOG Ornelas [SOG = Son of God] had been inspired to become an evangelist by Drake's work with the homeless.

Meanwhile, Thomas Hoefling, who had been one of the people behind Keye's 2008 campaign with his America's Independent Party had shortened the name to America's Party in 2011 and began his first Presidential run under the new banner. His VP was Jonathan D. "J.D." Ellis of Savannah, Tenn. He was running a self-described "front porch campaign" from Iowa and had managed to make the ballot in three states and was a registered write-in for more than a dozen others. One of those states where he was a printed option was California, where he gained access by winning the nomination of the American Independent Party which had come under the control of the Keyes faction due to a decision by the California Secretary of State in 2008. Hoefling's presence extended that influence.

Hoefling was selected by the AIP Aug. 11, 2012 in a very small convention with 7 in-person votes and 13 proxy votes. Ornelas communicated with the group via phone that he wanted the VP spot but was hoping Drake (who was an in-person delegate) would be the one getting the Presidential nomination. Instead, Drake was selected as Chairman of the AIP and it seems Hoefling was able to co-opt and absorb Drake's campaign, including acquiring Ornelas as his running-mate. So Ornelas in 2012 filled the AIP position his mentor Drake had occupied in 2008.

The 2012 AIP platform was very centered on their interpretation of God's place in the workings of government--

Platform of the American Independent Party

Introduction
We Acknowledge the Creator's Gracious Gifts
The American Independent Party gratefully acknowledges God as the Creator of all and appeals to Him for help in protecting all He has graciously given us. With all these gifts comes the right to use them justly. Hence all such rights are the gifts of God as affirmed in our Declaration of Independence. These include the right to life and liberty.

Declaration of Independence Rights are God-Given
All rights are unalienable in that none have a right to take them unjustly. Liberty includes the pursuit of happiness, which is the possession and exercise of virtue. Liberty includes the right to use and claim as an individual possession any unclaimed thing received from the hand of God, in or upon or above the Earth. This right to any possession includes its entire use, that is, its exchange, control, protection, and entire disposition. And the first and greatest of these possessions is our life.

God-Given Duties to Individuals
God gave Man this earth to make of it a well-tended Garden, not to leave it an uninhabited wilderness. He gave us our lives, not to be lived to ourselves alone, but in love to one another. And the duty to love certainly includes the duty not to act hatefully towards others. Therefore, we have a duty to be at peace with each other. Our duty to love one another includes a duty to protect each other from unjust harm. We have further a duty to cooperate with each other in the fulfillment of these duties. Such duties are the basis for just government.

As the only creature made in God's image and likeness, all men have an equal duty to love themselves and others to honor that image of the God they are commanded to love. To obliterate that image by unjustly taking a life is the highest crime that one may do to another. To take a life justly is the most somber obligation God ever imposes.

Our Constitution Enables Us to Protect Our Rights and Fulfill Our Duties
To secure and fulfill all God-given rights and duties, governments are instituted among men. To fulfill those duties and protect those rights, We the People of the United States of America ordained and established a Constitution for ourselves.

Rights and Duties of Association, Including that Forceful Association, Government
God created Man with two great dimensions, individual and social. In so doing He gave us the right to associate with each other to take advantage of our rights and to fulfill our duties. The right to associate includes the right to choose one's associates, but does not include the right to force others to associate.

God has imposed on men a duty to associate in governments to put a justified fear into the hearts of evildoers. These duties are given for the good of all, but not to deprive any of the rights they are designed to protect! Governments should never commit the crimes they are created to prevent!

No association of men has any rights of itself, but only by reason of the rights contributed to it according to the covenant established among its members. That fundamental limit on associations includes the greatest and most forceful of all human associations, government. However, among all our rights we find those derived from our duties, for we all have a right to justly pursue our duties.

Therefore:

The Constitution: the Original Contract that America has with Itself
The American Independent Party is the party of ordered liberty in a nation under God. We believe in strict adherence to written law. We believe the Constitution is the contract America has with itself. Its willful distortion has led to the violation of our Tenth Amendment guaranteed right to limited government, which inevitably requires oppressive taxation. Its faithful application will lift that awful burden.

Freedom from "Liberalism"
Freed from the lawless oppression of Liberal rule, we may then compassionately and justly use our energy and ingenuity to provide for ourselves and our families. We will then establish truly free and responsible enterprise and reassert the basic human right to property.

The Protection of Life, and the Duties and Rights of Families
We believe in protecting all human life however weak, defenseless, or disheartened; we endorse the family as the essential bulwark of liberty, compassion, responsibility, and industry; and declare the family's right and responsibility to nurture, discipline, and educate its children. We maintain that all humans are persons from the beginning of their biological development and especially deserve our love and nurture when they are weakest and most dependent.

Marriage Between a Man and a Woman
We insist that marriage is between a man and a woman and assert the role of the law in establishing and reinforcing the mutual rights and obligations of that God-ordained contract.

The Individual and Common Defense
We assert the absolute, concurrent Second Amendment guaranteed individual right to self defense against impositions by other citizens or our government, coupled with a strong common defense, a common defense which requires a national sovereignty not damaged by imprudent or un-Constitutional treaties.

Opposition to Illegal Immigration and Support of Secure Borders
We oppose all illegal immigration. We support secure borders and immigration policies inviting the best of the world to join us in freedom. We emphatically demand that our borders be protected against intrusions by that most straight-forward and practical means, a fence, reinforced by all the necessary manpower and electronic surveillance. We also insist that those who violate our immigration laws, be they illegal immigrants or their employer, be punished for their crime in a way that will deter them from future offenses.

Our Great Pro-Life Constitution
The Republic established by our Constitution is the greatest of all pro-life institutions. In the first place, it protects our lives from the impositions of foreign nations and internal disorder. Our Constitution in its Fifth Amendment also forbids the government to take life, or liberty, or property unjustly. The Fourteenth amendment requires all States to apply all the protections they provide for life equally to all visitors or citizens, and to all born or unborn persons within the territories governed by their laws.

Public Servants, Not Public Masters! All Governments Under God
We believe that all those who govern are the servants of God for the good of citizens. Therefore all governments are under God whether they like it or not! This is why we call those who rule in our nation, Public Servants. We will resist by all political means at our disposal the increasing inclination of our Public employees and representatives to become, ever more, Public Masters.

In consequence whereof, we call upon all men who value their God-given liberty to join us in pursuit of these political convictions.

The Ornelas publicity campaign included this (the "Dr." prefix is an honorary or pastoral title, it is not clear which)--

Dr. Ornelas was selected by the delegates for his support of Israel and current activism throughout the country. This is the first time in the history of the United States that a hip-hop artist and Latino with Mexican descent is running for the office of the U.S. Vice President. And it is the second time in history a person who has Native American ancestry has vied for this office. He is the second after Herbert Hoover’s Vice President, Charles Curtis, to have a Native American ancestry. Dr. Ornelas is the great-great-great-grandson of Chief Cristobal Osuna from a tribe in the San Diego Mountains circa the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo (1848).

The American Independent Party of California seeks to uphold the God given gifts asserted by the Declaration of Independence which include the rights to life and liberty for all people including the unborn.

Ornelas said in an interview with Huffington Post in 2016 that, "My great grandmother was from the Cocopah Nation out of the Yuma Arizona area."

It needs to be pointed out that although not a musician by trade, the first Hip Hop activist to be on a Presidential ticket was probably Rosa Clemente, VP for the Green Party in 2008. Pinning down the first Latino of Mexican descent to be a VP is more difficult as there were more than a few before 2012, perhaps starting in 1968 with Adelicio Moya of the People's Constitutional Party, or Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales of the Peace and Freedom Party. Before Ornelas there other VPs with closer ties to Indian Country, both genetically and from life experience-- 1964 Ramona Frances Crowell (Independent), 1976 Austin Marion Burton (Independent) [Burton could have been a Pretendian], 1980 LaDonna Vita Tabbytite Harris (Citizens Party), 1988 Wynonia Brewington Burke (New Alliance Party), 1992 Asiba D. Tupahache (Campaign for a New Tomorrow), and the most prominent of all 1996, 2000 Winona LaDuke (Green Party).
   
On May 29, 2012 Ornelas on Facebook helped spread the "Obama Admits He is a Muslim" Youtube, which has been exposed by Snopes and others as a pernicious effort at deliberate disinformation.

On Aug. 30, 2012 Ornelas posted on Facebook, "I am believing for an economic revelation from God to help our nation. This plan will help generations to come after we are long gone. Jesus, we honor you!!!!!!"

If the Drake/Ornelas ticket had survived until Election Day, in the event of their victory the fact they were residents of the same state would have posed a Constitutional problem.

The Hoefling/Ornelas ticket finished 6th out of 6 of those on the California ballot, 0.29% of the popular vote in the Golden State. Hoefling's national total was 40,649, and 38,372 of those came from California, accounting for more than 94% of his poll.

All three of the 2012 principals mentioned here ran for the American Independent Party primary for President in California in 2016, finishing with Ornelas 3rd, Drake 4th, and Hoefling 7th. In the end the AIP not merely endorsed but nominated Trump/Pence in 2016.   

Election history:
2014 - Governor of California (American Independent Party) - withdrew
2016 - American Independent Party nomination for President - defeated
2018 - US House of Representatives (Calif.) (American Independent Party) - defeated

Other occupations: community activist, Christian Hip Hop artist, evangelist, missionary, Elite TV producer, American Independent Party chair, founder of SOG Crew,

Notes:
Ran as a write-in in 2018.
Mother was born in Mexico.

Jonathan David Ellis

 

Jonathan David Ellis, August 31, 1975 (Boyle County, Ky.) -

VP candidate for America's Party (aka American Independent Party aka Independent) (2012)

Running mate with nominee: Thomas Conrad Hoefling (b. 1960)
Popular vote: 2,277 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Thomas Hoefling, who had been one of the people behind Keye's 2008 campaign with his America's Independent Party had shortened the name to America's Party in 2011 and began his first Presidential run under the new banner. His VP was Jonathan D. "J.D." Ellis of Savannah, Tenn. He was running a self-described "front porch campaign" from Iowa and had managed to make the ballot in three states and was a registered write-in for more than a dozen others. One of those states where he was a printed option was California, where he gained access by winning the nomination of the American Independent Party which had come under the control of the Keyes faction due to a decision by the California Secretary of State in 2008. Hoefling's presence extended that influence.

Hoefling was selected by the AIP Aug. 11, 2012 in a very small convention with 7 in-person votes and 13 proxy votes. Robert Ornelas communicated with the group via phone that he wanted the VP spot but was hoping Wiley Drake (who was an in-person delegate) would be the one getting the Presidential nomination. Instead, Drake was selected as Chairman of the AIP and it seems Hoefling was able to co-opt and absorb Drake's campaign, including acquiring Ornelas as his running-mate. So Ornelas in 2012 filled the AIP position his mentor Drake had occupied in 2008. Hoefling ended up with two running-mates.

America's Party VP Ellis shared his God-centered government views in the last two questions of an interview on Oct. 2012--

What role has your religion played on your personal views of Abortion?

If the Romney-Ryan [Hoefling-Ellis] ticket is elected, should those who believe abortion should be legal be worried?

The word of God tells me that life begins at conception, and that hands that shed innocent blood are an abomination before the Lord.  Science, which is simply man’s attempt to better understand the physical laws set in place by the same God Who reveals Himself to us in His written word, undeniably confirms that a new and unique human life is created at the point of fertilization.

Although God and His word are the ultimate authority and law on this, we are blessed in America, to have been Founded by men who understood these principles, and incorporated them into our Founding documents.  The Declaration--our national charter--is based on the premise that all men are Created equal, and endowed by our Creator with an unalienable right to life.  If life begins at fertilization, then the unborn are human persons, intrinsically endowed with the same inherent worth, dignity, and rights as all other human persons.  And if those rights are given by God, then only God has the right to take them away.  It is not in our authority to create laws, regulations, or conditions upon which the right to life will be either acknowledged or ignored.  An unalienable right to life cannot be denied by human courts, or by a “democratic process” at either the federal or state level.

Like the Declaration, our Constitution also contains protections for the unborn.  In fact, the crowning purpose of that Document is to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to…our Posterity”, which quite obviously precludes murdering them in the womb.  The Fifth Amendment, too, is very clear:  “No person shall be…deprived of life…without due process of law.”  The Fourteenth Amendment further clarifies that abortion is not an issue for the states to decide:  “…nor shall any State deprive any person of life…without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”  If the states are required to provide equal protection, then Constitutionally, it is just as illegal, and just as punishable to murder an unborn person as to murder any other person.  The states are Constitutionally obligated to provide that level of protection.

This is all part of a Document that Mr. Hoefling and I would be required to take an oath to defend.  We would take that oath very seriously, as a solemn obligation before God and the American people.

Closing Statement.

Thank you to Examiner.com for publishing my answers to these questions, and to their readers for taking the time to consider them.

We, the American people, must reject dependence on a money- and major-media-driven political process, and remember that elections are meant to represent us--not the political parties or the corrupting influence of wealth.  In the age of the internet, we need not rely on biased and exclusive media outlets for our election coverage, when there are thousands of citizen news sites and blogs willing to give a fuller picture.  We must change the way we do politics, putting the power back in the hands of the people, where it belongs.

We must stop giving our votes to people who do not represent us, simply because the major media and major parties tell us that we have no other choice.  Such coercion and manipulation is un-American--it is Soviet-style politics, in which we are free to vote for anyone, as long as our choice has the approval of a cadre of elites.  We will never have a representative government as long as we lack the simple faith and courage to vote our convictions.

We must refocus on an understanding that Almighty God is the Disposer of nations, and that America cannot be blessed by His generous hand while we continue to flaunt His will.  He has told us what makes nations great, and what makes nations fall.  America was Founded on those principles, and prospered as long as we remembered them.  As we have forgotten them, we have paid the price.  Our only hope for saving America is to remember them once again.

God’s institution of government can be what it was intended to be, only when His other institutions of the church and the family are what they ought to be.  We must protect religious liberty, and the traditional family.  Killing our children through abortion; ripping apart the two-parent home through homosexuality, divorce, and pornography; and otherwise marring God’s design for the family have proven destructive to America, and must be opposed if we are to maintain our place in the world.

If you agree with the principles defended in these answers, please consider Tom Hoefling for President.  Visit the following websites, or look us up on facebook, for more information.  Thank you.

The Hoefling/Ornelas ticket finished 6th out of 6 of those on the California ballot, 0.29% of the popular vote in the Golden State. Hoefling's national total was 40,649, and 38,372 of those came from California, accounting for more than 94% of his poll. The Hoefling/Ellis ticket was on the ballot in Colorado (0.03%) as America's Party and in Florida (0.01%) as American Independent Party. They were also write-ins in 15 states.

Election history:
2014 - Governor of Tennessee (Independent) - disqualified from ballot

Other occupations: Chairman of the National Citizen Constitutional Review Board, retail home improvement sales

Notes:
Moved to Bowling Green, Ky.

Marvin Earl Sprouse Jr.

 

Marvin Earl Sprouse Jr., May 3, 1941 (Alabama) -

VP candidate for America's Independent Party (2008)

Running mate with nominee: Alan Lee Keyes (b. 1950)
Popular vote: 883 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

As an African American Republican Christian Conservative, Alan Keyes was something of an anomaly on the political landscape. Sometimes referred to as a "Theocratic Neocon," the Harvard-educated Dr. Keyes had served as a diplomat in various capacities starting in 1979. In the Reagan years he was Ambassador to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and later Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs from 1985 to 1987. He was subsequently known as former Ambassador Keyes in the media.

By 2008 he had also become known as a perennial candidate. He had made three attempts for the US Senate, 1988, 1992, and 2004 (losing to Obama in that last one), and for US President in the Republican primaries 1996 and 2000. 2008 was his third try.

When Keyes' Republican prospects evaporated he announced on Apr. 15, 2008 he was switching parties and was now a candidate for the Constitution Party Presidential nomination. He said, "I believe people deserve a choice. They certainly deserve a conservative choice — something neither John McCain, Hillary Clinton, nor Barack Obama can offer voters. All they can offer is empty promises based on liberal track records." Constitution Party stalwarts were wary of Keyes' late conversion. He certainly had the evangelical Christian credentials but also a Neocon foreign policy track record was out of step with them. Besides, 2004 VP nominee Chuck Baldwin was already on track to gain the nomination.

Although Baldwin did win the national CP nomination, the American Independent Party which had been affiliate since 1991 was torn apart over the selection. The pro-Constitution Party faction nominated Baldwin, and the anti-Constitution Party faction nominated Keyes. Both held their own conventions regarding the other as an invalid gathering. The California Secretary of State and later the court sided with the Keyes faction and thus the era of the AIP's association with the CP came to an end. Instead, the AIP became an affiliate of the newly invented America's Independent Party which also nominated Keyes. By the time the dust settled it was really too late for Baldwin to gain access to the printed ballot in California but he did register as a write-in.

This chapter of AIP history was interpreted by the victors on their webpage--

History repeated itself after the death of our revered founder, William Shearer in early 2007. Once again outside forces sought to determine the AIP's future, but this time it was the Constitution Party that sought to dominate the American Independent Party of California through surrogates, a misguided rump faction that came to be known as "The Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight." Defeating this assault on the independence of the AIP also took three long and costly years from 2008 to 2011. After illegitimate attempts to eject Edward Noonan from the Chairmanship by the daughter of the late founder William Shearer failed, the rump faction she led sought aid from the founder of the Constitution Party, Howard Phillips, to deny the American Independent Party its rightful voice at the Presidential nominating Convention in 2008 by a series of dastardly tricks. After successfully maintaining its right to vote on the Presidential nomination, the AIP was subjected to a further attack when the rump group held its own "Convention" and elected its own officers, entirely without authorization and contrary to both AIP Bylaws and the California Election Code. A legal battle for control of the Party ensued, which was finally resolved in favor of the legitimate party leadership on August 29, 2011.

The curious fact the party of segregationist George Wallace now had an African American standard bearer was not lost on politicos of all stripes.

The Keyes faction of the AIP was viewed as "pro-war" within the ranks of critics on the Right. The platform of America's Independent Party was pretty much the same as the American Independent Party of years past, except perhaps for the America's military plank--

Peace through Strength
We believe in a supremely strong, prepared, and well-equipped civilian-controlled United States military, and a bold, visionary and intelligent program of principled constructive engagement with the rest of the world. For us, "peace through strength" is not a mere slogan. It is the means of survival for our country in a very dangerous and often hostile world. Our friendship should be a sought-after possession of all men and women of good will everywhere in the world. Our enmity should be something that all rightfully fear.

As Ronald Reagan opposed and defeated the designs and desire of the Soviet Union to dominate the world and place it under the tyranny of their Evil Empire, we stand unalterably opposed to all who approve of, plan or commit terrorist acts. Since the first principle of America is the protection of innocent human life, any who would use acts of terrorism targeted at innocent civilians to forward their political, ideological or religious aims incur our effective and determined enmity.

Keye's running-mate in Texas was Dr. Marvin E. Sprouse Jr. who was a conservative Christian author and TV/radio host. Just prior to the election Sprouse had been caught up in the Bio Performance fuel additive MLM/pyramid scheme hoax/scam before the State of Texas shut it down.

Keyes national vote was 47,941 (0.04%). 883 (0.00%) of those came from the write-in ticket with Sprouse, accounting for 0.01% of the vote in Texas. Keyes' other VPs were Wiley Drake in California, Brian Rohrbough the official America's Independent Party VP nationally, and Steve Schulin in Virginia. Write-in votes for Keyes were reported in 12 more states where no running-mate was included.

Election history: none

Other occupations: US Army (Vietnam War), life coach, author, lecturer, publisher, teacher, radio and TV talk show host, Bio Performance fuel additive manager

Notes:
Earned his doctorates at Landmark Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Tex.
Has written several books including: God Sent Me to Love You (2020), Pharoah Obama I: the Christian Response to Tyranny (2014), My 30 day book: published for less than $500 (2012), The Four Minute Sermon (2013), The World's Greatest Motivator (2012), 2013; America’s Year of Catastrophe (2012), Life Coaching (2013), The Hezekiah Prayer (2004), Connecting (A Guide to Great Relationships) (1990), Political Correctness Exposed: A Piranha In Your Bathtub (1994), and The Seven Biblical Principles of Fitness (2005).

Brian Eric Rohrbough

 

Brian Eric Rohrbough, January 18, 1959 (Casper, Wyo.) -

VP candidate for America's Independent Party (2008)

Running mate with nominee: Alan Lee Keyes (b. 1950)
Popular vote: 5,835 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

As an African American Republican Christian Conservative, Alan Keyes was something of an anomaly on the political landscape. Sometimes referred to as a "Theocratic Neocon," the Harvard-educated Dr. Keyes had served as a diplomat in various capacities starting in 1979. In the Reagan years he was Ambassador to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and later Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs from 1985 to 1987. He was subsequently known as former Ambassador Keyes in the media.

By 2008 he had also become known as a perennial candidate. He had made three attempts for the US Senate, 1988, 1992, and 2004 (losing to Obama in that last one), and for US President in the Republican primaries 1996 and 2000. 2008 was his third try.

When Keyes' Republican prospects evaporated he announced on Apr. 15, 2008 he was switching parties and was now a candidate for the Constitution Party Presidential nomination. He said, "I believe people deserve a choice. They certainly deserve a conservative choice — something neither John McCain, Hillary Clinton, nor Barack Obama can offer voters. All they can offer is empty promises based on liberal track records." Constitution Party stalwarts were wary of Keyes' late conversion. He certainly had the evangelical Christian credentials but also a Neocon foreign policy track record was out of step with them. Besides, 2004 VP nominee Chuck Baldwin was already on track to gain the nomination.

Although Baldwin did win the national CP nomination, the American Independent Party which had been affiliate since 1991 was torn apart over the selection. The pro-Constitution Party faction nominated Baldwin, and the anti-Constitution Party faction nominated Keyes. Both held their own conventions regarding the other as an invalid gathering. The California Secretary of State and later the court sided with the Keyes faction and thus the era of the AIP's association with the CP came to an end. Instead, the AIP became an affiliate of the newly invented America's Independent Party which also nominated Keyes. By the time the dust settled it was really too late for Baldwin to gain access to the printed ballot in California but he did register as a write-in.

This chapter of AIP history was interpreted by the victors on their webpage--

History repeated itself after the death of our revered founder, William Shearer in early 2007. Once again outside forces sought to determine the AIP's future, but this time it was the Constitution Party that sought to dominate the American Independent Party of California through surrogates, a misguided rump faction that came to be known as "The Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight." Defeating this assault on the independence of the AIP also took three long and costly years from 2008 to 2011. After illegitimate attempts to eject Edward Noonan from the Chairmanship by the daughter of the late founder William Shearer failed, the rump faction she led sought aid from the founder of the Constitution Party, Howard Phillips, to deny the American Independent Party its rightful voice at the Presidential nominating Convention in 2008 by a series of dastardly tricks. After successfully maintaining its right to vote on the Presidential nomination, the AIP was subjected to a further attack when the rump group held its own "Convention" and elected its own officers, entirely without authorization and contrary to both AIP Bylaws and the California Election Code. A legal battle for control of the Party ensued, which was finally resolved in favor of the legitimate party leadership on August 29, 2011.

The curious fact the party of segregationist George Wallace now had an African American standard bearer was not lost on politicos of all stripes.

The Keyes faction of the AIP was viewed as "pro-war" within the ranks of critics on the Right. The platform of America's Independent Party was pretty much the same as the American Independent Party of years past, except perhaps for the America's military plank--

Peace through Strength
We believe in a supremely strong, prepared, and well-equipped civilian-controlled United States military, and a bold, visionary and intelligent program of principled constructive engagement with the rest of the world. For us, "peace through strength" is not a mere slogan. It is the means of survival for our country in a very dangerous and often hostile world. Our friendship should be a sought-after possession of all men and women of good will everywhere in the world. Our enmity should be something that all rightfully fear.

As Ronald Reagan opposed and defeated the designs and desire of the Soviet Union to dominate the world and place it under the tyranny of their Evil Empire, we stand unalterably opposed to all who approve of, plan or commit terrorist acts. Since the first principle of America is the protection of innocent human life, any who would use acts of terrorism targeted at innocent civilians to forward their political, ideological or religious aims incur our effective and determined enmity.

Keyes' official VP in America's Independent Party was Brian Rohrbough, who became an involuntary public figure starting with his son being one of the victims of the Columbine High School massacre in 1999. In an effort to make sense of a senseless act, Rohrbough settled on blaming what he calls our "culture of death." This included--

Abortion: "We teach there are no absolutes, no right or wrong. And I assure you the murder of innocent children is always wrong, including by abortion. Abortion has diminished the value of children."

The theory of evolution: "This country is in a moral free-fall. For over two generations, the public school system has taught in a moral vacuum, expelling God from the school and from the government, replacing him with evolution, where the strong kill the weak, without moral consequences and life has no inherent value."

Rohrbough had become a prominent anti-abortion activist by the time he was chosen to be Keyes' running-mate. Siding with the "absolutist" faction as the anti-choice groups in Colorado experienced a major schism, Rohrbough took part in the Right-wing takedown of Mitt Romney during the 2008 Republican primaries ("The evidence is indisputable — Mitt Romney is lying to get Christian votes," said Rohrbough) as well as being highly critical of the National Right to Life Committee.

The Keyes/Rohrbough ticket was on the ballot in Colorado (0.13%) and Florida (0.03%). In addition Rohrbough was considered the write-in running-mate in Kentucky, Minnesota, Ohio, and Utah.

Keyes national vote was 47,941 (0.04%). 5,835 (0.00%) of those came from the ticket with Rohrbough. Keyes' other VPs were Wiley Drake in California, Marvin Sprouse Jr. in Texas, and Steve Schulin in Virginia. Write-in votes for Keyes were reported in 12 more states where no running-mate was included.

Election history: none

Other occupations: car stereo business, president of Colorado Right to Life, president of American Right to Life, author

Notes:
Rohrbough engaged in a flurry of various controversial lawsuits following Columbine.

Wiley Smead Drake Sr.

 

Wiley Smead Drake Sr., November 23, 1943 (Magnolia, Ark.) -

VP candidate for American Independent Party (aka America's Independent Party) (2008)

Running mate with nominee: Alan Lee Keyes (b. 1950)
Popular vote: 40,673 (0.03%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

As an African American Republican Christian Conservative, Alan Keyes was something of an anomaly on the political landscape. Sometimes referred to as a "Theocratic Neocon," the Harvard-educated Dr. Keyes had served as a diplomat in various capacities starting in 1979. In the Reagan years he was Ambassador to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and later Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs from 1985 to 1987. He was subsequently known as former Ambassador Keyes in the media.

By 2008 he had also become known as a perennial candidate. He had made three attempts for the US Senate, 1988, 1992, and 2004 (losing to Obama in that last one), and for US President in the Republican primaries 1996 and 2000. 2008 was his third try.

When Keyes' Republican prospects evaporated he announced on Apr. 15, 2008 he was switching parties and was now a candidate for the Constitution Party Presidential nomination. He said, "I believe people deserve a choice. They certainly deserve a conservative choice — something neither John McCain, Hillary Clinton, nor Barack Obama can offer voters. All they can offer is empty promises based on liberal track records." Constitution Party stalwarts were wary of Keyes' late conversion. He certainly had the evangelical Christian credentials but also a Neocon foreign policy track record was out of step with them. Besides, 2004 VP nominee Chuck Baldwin was already on track to gain the nomination.

Although Baldwin did win the national CP nomination, the American Independent Party which had been affiliate since 1991 was torn apart over the selection. The pro-Constitution Party faction nominated Baldwin, and the anti-Constitution Party faction nominated Keyes. Both held their own conventions regarding the other as an invalid gathering. The California Secretary of State and later the court sided with the Keyes faction and thus the era of the AIP's association with the CP came to an end. Instead, the AIP became an affiliate of the newly invented America's Independent Party which also nominated Keyes. By the time the dust settled it was really too late for Baldwin to gain access to the printed ballot in California but he did register as a write-in.

This chapter of AIP history was interpreted by the victors on their webpage--

History repeated itself after the death of our revered founder, William Shearer in early 2007. Once again outside forces sought to determine the AIP's future, but this time it was the Constitution Party that sought to dominate the American Independent Party of California through surrogates, a misguided rump faction that came to be known as "The Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight." Defeating this assault on the independence of the AIP also took three long and costly years from 2008 to 2011. After illegitimate attempts to eject Edward Noonan from the Chairmanship by the daughter of the late founder William Shearer failed, the rump faction she led sought aid from the founder of the Constitution Party, Howard Phillips, to deny the American Independent Party its rightful voice at the Presidential nominating Convention in 2008 by a series of dastardly tricks. After successfully maintaining its right to vote on the Presidential nomination, the AIP was subjected to a further attack when the rump group held its own "Convention" and elected its own officers, entirely without authorization and contrary to both AIP Bylaws and the California Election Code. A legal battle for control of the Party ensued, which was finally resolved in favor of the legitimate party leadership on August 29, 2011.

The curious fact the party of segregationist George Wallace now had an African American standard bearer was not lost on politicos of all stripes.

The Keyes faction of the AIP was viewed as "pro-war" within the ranks of critics on the Right. The platform of America's Independent Party was pretty much the same as the American Independent Party of years past, except perhaps for the America's military plank--

Peace through Strength
We believe in a supremely strong, prepared, and well-equipped civilian-controlled United States military, and a bold, visionary and intelligent program of principled constructive engagement with the rest of the world. For us, "peace through strength" is not a mere slogan. It is the means of survival for our country in a very dangerous and often hostile world. Our friendship should be a sought-after possession of all men and women of good will everywhere in the world. Our enmity should be something that all rightfully fear.

As Ronald Reagan opposed and defeated the designs and desire of the Soviet Union to dominate the world and place it under the tyranny of their Evil Empire, we stand unalterably opposed to all who approve of, plan or commit terrorist acts. Since the first principle of America is the protection of innocent human life, any who would use acts of terrorism targeted at innocent civilians to forward their political, ideological or religious aims incur our effective and determined enmity.

Keyes' American Independent Party running-mate, only in California, was controversial minister Wiley S. Drake. The minister's name had already been in the news several times. On the humanitarian side, he had provided a place for the homeless on his church parking lots and legal assistance for illegal immigrants. On the homophobic side, he called for a ban on Disney for recognizing Gay partnerships as the same as straight marriages in terms of employee benefits. Drake loudly opposed the appointment of an American ambassador strictly based on sexuality.

In 2007 Drake's name was in a letter of support for James Kopp, convicted sniper, terrorist, and murderer with his targets being abortion doctors. Drake claims he did not authorize the use of his name.

Drake campaigned partly from his pulpit. At first for Gov. Huckabee in the Republican primaries but then for Keyes later in the season. The Americans United for Separation of Church and State advocated for an IRS investigation of Drake. Drake's response was to pray for the death of his enemies.

Keyes national vote was 47,941 (0.04%). 40,673 (0.03%) of those came from California with Drake, where they earned 0.30% of the state vote.

Drake went on to, in a very public way, pray for the death of President Obama and of anyone else who displeased him as he urged God to be his hit man. Keyes, Drake and AIP Elector Markham Robinson filed a petition with the Superior Court in California at Sacramento challenging the right of Obama to assume the office of President based on spurious "birther" claims. The action was filed by Gary Kreep of the United States Justice Foundation, an organization characterized by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-Muslim hate group.

Election history:
2012 - American Independent Party nomination for President - defeated
2012 - US President (Unaffiliated) - defeated
2016 - American Independent Party nomination for President - defeated
2016 - US President (Unaffiliated) - defeated

Other occupations: US Navy, rodeo rider, Baptist minister, radio host, national chaplain of the Minuteman Project

Notes:
Drake was heavily influenced by his grandfather, Hamp Smead Beasley, who took him to revival meetings.
MSNBC host Keith Olbermann called Drake the "world's worst person" on a broadcast July 2009.

Darcy Richardson, 2020 VP Alliance Party

 

Darcy Richardson was selected as the 2020 running-mate for Alliance Party nominee Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente. Richardson has a long history with third parties, both as a candidate and political historian. He is the author of A Nation Divided: The 1968 Presidential Campaign (2002) as well as several works on the history of third parties in US politics. I must say I have consulted his research several times this year in the course of constructing this blog.

Richardson's fascinating career has included working with Eugene McCarthy during the former US Senator's final two runs for the Presidency in 1988 and 1992. Darcy was the National Chair of The New Democrats during that same time period. He has been a consistent champion and activist for challenging the Republican/Democratic duopoly. In 2018 he was the Reform Party's nominee for Governor of Florida.

Darcy's blog, Uncovered Politics, is another go-to place for third party and even mainstream coverage. I've consulted his "Time Capsule" section there several times http://www.uncoveredpolitics.com/

The Alliance Party is still fairly new but has a foundation and network from older political parties that have merged. Check out their webpage at: https://www.theallianceparty.com/

[Note: The interview questions were originally posed on May 6, 2020. That was a lifetime ago but rather than start over I am going to proceed because in a weird way it is more interesting by accident]
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: Darcy, you and I are almost exactly the same age. I have long regarded the assassination of JFK on Nov. 22, 1963 and the resignation of Nixon on Aug. 9, 1974 to be dramatic event bookends of an unusually volatile era. It is also the range of time where we both politically came of age. How did life in 1963-1974 shape your current world view?

I was only seven years old the day JFK was murdered in Dallas, but I vividly remember watching our black-and-white television set that entire dark and dreary weekend.  My parents were distraught.  It all seemed so unreal, but --- as you mentioned --- the period from Kennedy's assassination on Nov. 22, 1963, to Richard M. Nixon's resignation during the Watergate scandal in Aug. 1974 had a profound impact on many in our generation.  The country lost its innocence during that tragic and tumultuous period, which included the unjust and immoral War in Vietnam, and has never really recovered.  Up 'til then, most Americans respected, if not revered, the presidency, regardless of which party occupied the Oval Office.  That's clearly no longer the case today,.

Q: Your association with former Sen. Eugene McCarthy began when you met him during his independent campaign for President in 1976. I count no less than 28 people who were identified as his running-mates that year, almost all considered stand-ins state by state. That just might be a record. He had a very low regard for the second position on a ticket, quoted in the '76 campaign as saying, "Vice-presidential candidates just clutter up the campaign. We should not ask the country to make two judgments. Everyone knows vice presidents have no influence on presidents once elected. Presidents' wives have much more influence. Perhaps we should have candidates' wives debate."  Now that you are a VP nominee yourself, would you care to comment on McCarthy's statement?

Gene was right.  That's one of the reasons I've consciously played such a low-key role in Rocky De La Fuente's campaign.  It's Rocky's campaign.  

Of course, McCarthy was separated from his wife, Abigail, when he made that crack about President's wives having more influence than the Vice President.  I'm not sure who would have had the most influence on Gene himself if he had been elected as an independent in the year of America's Bicentennial since he had also joked during that campaign that he'd probably have a different First Lady every week.  I miss him.

Q: McCarthy shocked the political world when he endorsed Reagan in 1980. When you later worked for Sen. McCarthy in 1988 and 1992, did that 1980 decision prove to be a campaign liability?

The Reagan endorsement came up a few times in 1988 when I was managing Gene's quixotic third-party bid for the White House on the Philadelphia-based Consumer Party ticket, but it was felt most profoundly when McCarthy, mounting an improbable political comeback, sought his old Senate seat from Minnesota six years earlier, in 1982.  Former Vice President Fritz Mondale's folks brought it up time and again during that year's DFL primary --- a race in which Gene was outspent by a nearly 100-1 margin.  They were relentless and unforgiving, still blaming McCarthy for Hubert Humphrey's narrow loss to Richard Nixon some fourteen years earlier.  They never forgave McCarthy, who had risked his own political career by courageously opposing LBJ and the Vietnam War during the 1968 Democratic primaries, for his belated and tepid endorsement of Humphrey, his former friend and Senate colleague, on the eve of that election.  Unlike McCarthy, Humphrey lusted after the presidency and was even willing to sell his soul by supporting Johnson's illegal war in Vietnam in pursuit of the elusive brass ring.

Q: You have been connected with a variety of political parties over the decades: the Democratic Party, Citizens Party, Consumer Party, Boston Tea Party, Reform Party, Peace and Freedom Party, just plain independent, perhaps others and now the Alliance Party. From what I can ascertain it seems like you have been pretty consistent with your progressive views through all this. Why the political party musical chairs?

My support for the above-mentioned parties --- and a few not listed here --- reflect my commitment to the idea of open politics in this country.  While the Consumer Party will always hold a special place in my heart, I haven't really been excited about a new party until now with the emergence of the centrist-oriented Alliance Party.  If we're ever going to end the hyper-partisanship and extreme polarization that's literally destroying this country and its institutions, it will have to come from an entirely new entity such as the Alliance Party.

Q: And speaking of multiple political parties, it appears the Alliance Party is just that, an alliance of numerous third parties. Can you give us the elevator speech on what the Alliance Party is all about?

The Alliance Party is the most promising new party movement to emerge in this country in decades, perhaps in my lifetime.  One and all, they’re a pretty impressive group and they certainly have the country’s best interests at heart.

Led by national chairman Jim Rex, a former college president and the last Democrat to win a statewide office in South Carolina when he was elected State Superintendent of Education in 2006, the Alliance Party is committed to restoring civility in American politics and governance.

The party's Manifesto should be required reading for every American who intends to cast a ballot in this year's presidential election.

Q: You and Alliance Party Presidential candidate Rocky De La Fuente have considerable experience running for public office and you have also been in the role of campaign manager in the past as well. What challenges and opportunities are there that distinguish the 2020 election season compared to past campaigns?

Well, first and foremost, the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, making in-person campaigning extremely difficult and dangerous and petition drives virtually impossible.  Rocky and I initially hoped to qualify for the ballot in 35-40 states, but ended up qualifying in fewer than half that number.

Given that this election is rightfully a referendum on the reckless megalomaniac in the White House --- if he's still with us on Nov. 3rd, of course --- this is probably going to be a very lean year for America's nationally-organized third parties.  I don't think anyone, not even the anti-government Libertarian candidate, who is on the ballot in all fifty states and the District of Columbia, will come close to cracking one percent of the vote nationally.   

Hell, Steve, to be perfectly honest, I've seriously considered voting for Biden myself...this nation probably won't survive four more years of Trump.  I mean, he's already responsible for 210,000 deaths --- and counting.

As a nation, we deserve better than a self-obsessed narcissist who is willing to callously sacrifice American lives for his own re-election.  That's precisely what's happening.

Q: In terms of ballot access, where are you hoping the Rocky/Darcy ticket will appear in print, as well as being placed as certified write-ins? Looks like the Alliance Party might also have several other candidates for state and local offices?

Rocky and I are on the ballot in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vermont.  We also hope to be official write-in candidates in a couple of dozen states.

Rocky is also on the ballot in populous California where --- much to my chagrin --- he's paired with unhinged, pro-Trump rapper Kanye West on the American Independent Party ticket, a remnant of segregationist George Wallace's 1968 presidential campaign.

Q: How would you characterize the demographics of the Alliance Party? Who are the members and where are they coming from?

The party is arguably best organized in South Carolina and Minnesota.  I think the Alliance Party membership reflects the changing nation at-large.  We're thrilled , for instance, to have nominated a first-generation Mexican-American candidate for the presidency.  We're a nation divided and most members --- at least those in leadership positions within the party--- are ex-Democrats or former Republicans who grew sick and tired of the dysfunction in Washington and believe that we can do a better, much better, job in bringing this country together.

Let's face it, we're facing twin crises --- a deadly health pandemic and a deepening economic recession that's threatening to become a full-blown depression --- and nothing is being done to alleviate the widespread suffering in our land.  Nothing is being accomplished.  Millions of our fellow citizens have lost their jobs during this pandemic and are on the verge of being evicted from their apartments or losing their homes to foreclosure and neither party is acting with any sense of urgency.

For starters, where is the promised second stimulus?  That's something every voter should ask themselves when casting their ballots between now and Election Day.

Q: What is going on with the Reform Party these days? I see you dropped the idea of pursuing their Presidential nomination.

While I have many friends in the Reform Party and was enormously proud to be the party's standard-bearer in Florida's hotly-contested 2018 gubernatorial campaign, I'm hoping the party, which admittedly has seen better days, will consider formally merging with the Alliance Party following the current campaign.

Q: Two part question--

1. Do you favor any sort of alternative voting methods of selecting people for public office such as approval voting, range voting, ranked choice voting, or sortition?

I'm a strong proponent of Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV), or what used to be called Instant Runoff Voting.  I advocated Instant Runoff Voting while briefly running for Supervisor of Elections in Duval County in a 2005 special election and Rocky and I will be among five choices on the ballot in Maine, which is instituting Ranked Choice Voting in a presidential election for the first time in American history.  It's time has come.

2. Also, would you favor having the office of Vice-President be offered on the ballot as an individual position not tied to a ticket, so we could maybe vote for a President and Vice-President from two different parties?

You mean, I could vote for Joe Biden and myself?  Hmmm.

Q: In the last three years we have seen a spike in activity of Americans denying their own humanity and rejecting the whole concept of civility, tolerance, and respect as they insult, bash, and deflect blame on others in order to elevate themselves. We see this on Twitter, Facebook, and the highest levels of government. How did we get here and how can we turn that around?

Donald Trump.  Plain and simple.  We're so polarized at this point, I'm not sure we can turn it around anytime soon.  Even if he loses, perhaps especially if he loses, Trump will continue to be a divisive and mean-spirited force in this country for the foreseeable future.

Q: Many thanks for taking part in this project. If you'd like to address any issues my questions did not cover, please feel to add your thoughts here--

Thank you, Steve.  It was my pleasure.

In closing, here are the folks I've supported at the ballot box for Vice President during my lifetime: Sally Wheaton (Eugene McCarthy, 1976); Patrick Lucey (John Anderson, 1980); Geraldine Ferraro (Walter Mondale, 1984); Florence Rice (Eugene McCarthy, 1988); James Stockdale (Ross Perot, 1992); Jo Jorgenson (Harry Browne, 1996); Winona LaDuke (Ralph Nader, 2000); Mary Alice Herbert  (Walt Brown, 2004); Thomas Knapp (Charles Jay, 2008); Cindy Sheehan (Roseanne Barr, 2012); Michael Steinberg (Rocky De La Fuente, 2016).

Many of those names, of course, are as obscure as my own.  Thanks again, Steve.

Max James Riekse

 

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. 

Charles Obadiah Baldwin

Charles Obadiah Baldwin, May 3, 1952 (La Porte, Ind.) -

VP candidate for Constitution Party (aka Independent aka Alaska Independence Party aka American Independent Party aka American Constitution Party aka Concerned Citizens Party aka US Taxpayers Party aka Nebraska Party aka Independent American Party) (2004)

Running mate with nominee: Michael Anthony Peroutka (b. 1952)
Popular vote: 141,751 (0.12%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

After three consecutive runs, Howard Phillips declined to campaign for President in the 2004 election as the standard bearer for the Constitution Party. The torch needed to be passed.

Controversial Judge Roy Moore in Alabama toyed with the idea of running for President as the Constitution Party nominee, and it would have been his for the taking. But he decided to remain with the Republican Party.

Maryland attorney Michael Peroutka was drafted for the job, and he modestly said he would accept but would be willing to step down in the event another candidate with star power wanted the nomination. In May 2004 Peroutka was chosen and in turn he selected Chuck Baldwin, an independent Baptist minister, protégé of Rev. Jerry Falwell, and radio host in Florida. "The day that I received the phone call from Michael Peroutka asking me to be his running mate was one of the most shocking days of my life," Baldwin said, "Never in my wildest imagination did I anticipate such a call. I did not seek this position. I never saw it coming."

Baldwin was a Democrat until ca1980, then an evangelical Christian Republican until 2004. He left the Republicans because he considered George W. Bush to be too liberal. He was also a rabid anti-Zionist, opposed neoconservatives and the "New World Order," and seemed to be in the 9/11 Truther camp to some degree. As Baldwin explained in July 2004, "... I could no longer in good conscience stay in the Republican Party. Therefore, earlier this year, I joined the Constitution Party. It is the only Party at the national level that stands for the fundamental principles upon which our nation was built. It is the only Party that truly shares my pro-life, pro-liberty, and pro-constitution convictions."

Here are some samples from Baldwin's 2004 entries in his Food for Thought column which also I think reflects the thinking within the Constitution Party at that time. You'll notice he is much harder on the situational ethics of Republicans and evangelicals than he is on the Democrats:

--It seems to me that, in the end, both parties are marching to the same drummer with only a slightly different cadence. The major difference seems to be that of control not course. Indeed, both parties seem headed in the same direction.

--Both Democrats and Republicans want the president to have fast track trade authority. Leaders from both parties support NAFTA, GATT, the WTO, NATO, the World Bank, the IMF, MFN for Communist China, etc. President Bush is currently pushing the New World Order envelope even further by promoting the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

--If President Bush is reelected in November, it is almost certain that he would re-institute the military draft and would even become the first President in U.S. history to draft America's daughters. In addition, Mr. Bush would, in all likelihood, appoint pro-abortion justices to the U.S. Supreme Court and would continue his unconstitutional, imperialistic propensities to unilaterally invade foreign countries without a declaration of war from Congress.

--While we are on the subject of judges, it did not help Chief Justice Roy Moore of Alabama one bit that there was a Republican governor in Alabama, that there was a Republican Attorney General in Alabama, or that there was a Republican President in the White House. But I can assure you that a Peroutka / Baldwin victory in 2004 would change all of that! In fact, my first recommendation to Michael would be that Roy Moore be his first appointment to the United States Supreme Court.

--President Bush has done as much or more to advance the homosexual agenda as did his predecessor, Bill Clinton. He has appointed many open homosexuals to high public office, as I am sure most all of you know.

Homosexuality by its very definition is fornication. Accordingly, in our military, in our law enforcement agencies, and in other high positions of trust, thorough background investigations are required as to the moral character and integrity of the applicant. I dare say that Bush's promotion of homosexuals to high public office not only violates the laws of decency and integrity, it also violates the laws of these United States of America.

Furthermore, Bush has not reversed Clinton's "Don't Ask ­ Don't Tell" policy allowing sodomites to serve in our armed forces. In fact, come to think about it, I can't recall a single executive order that Bill Clinton made that Bush has overturned. However, he did make a point to reverse Ronald Reagan's policy to take America out of UNESCO and put us right back in. The truth is, both President Bush and John Kerry support civil unions for sodomites. My dear friends, regardless of rhetoric to the contrary, that is not a pro-family position.

--If an American President was truly pro-family, he would never give favored treatment to homosexuals. He would, furthermore, uphold the constitutional provision that requires the President to ensure that every state has a republican form of government. This means he would never submit to tyrannical, activist judges who would attempt to redefine the family.

If an American President truly believed his oath of office, he would never promote the passage of unconstitutional, Orwellian acts such as the egregiously misnamed USA Patriot Act, which has done more to eviscerate the Bill of Rights, especially the Fourth Amendment, than anything that I can ever recall in my lifetime.

If an American President truly believed his oath to the Constitution, he would never invade another country without a formal declaration of war by Congress. The truth is, neither George Bush nor John Kerry has any intention of upholding his oath to the constitution, but you can be sure Michael Peroutka will!

--The blind loyalty of conservatives to President Bush defies logic, reason, Christian principle, and even old fashioned common sense. Conservatives, especially Christian conservatives, have become the largest group of naïve, nonsensical, non-thinking, easily duped people on the planet! It's embarrassing!

--The feminist movement of the past half-century has certainly contributed to the problem of poor male leadership. Yet, the truth is, if men were the leaders they should have been, the feminist movement would never have gotten off the ground. The feminist movement was really not a cause, it was an effect.

This lack of masculine leadership is easily seen in modern politics, but that, again, is but a reflection of the true problem. The real problem is men are not the leaders of their homes or of their churches. It is a sad reality that in America today, women are the heads of most families and most churches.

--The willingness of our political and judicial leaders to embrace homosexuality reveals their rejection of God's moral law and authority. It is no coincidence that within a matter of weeks after the White House and federal courts collaborated to remove the Ten Commandments from the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery that the entire nation would be embroiled in a fever pitch effort to legalize same sex marriage. God will not be mocked. When one sows to the wind, he reaps a whirlwind.

By accepting homosexuality, America is now fueling the flames of debauchery. When homosexuality is finally and fully accepted by American law, pedophilia and other more onerous behavior will not be far behind. As such, America is on the verge of a self-induced implosion.

--I charge G. W. Bush with posturing himself as a conservative while giving us bigger government than did even Bill Clinton. I charge him with creating the machinery with which a police state may emerge. Furthermore, I charge President Bush with attempting to take more freedoms away from the American people than any president in modern memory.

I also believe that Mr. Bush has redundantly violated his oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and that he has given nothing but lip service to the pro-life and pro-family agendas. It is also my contention that President Bush has jeopardized the security of these United States and has made a mockery of our nation's laws by his treacherous illegal alien amnesty proposal. He also lied to the American people by saying he supported the Second Amendment only later to endorse the Clinton gun ban.

Even worse, I charge Christian conservatives with willingly surrendering their independent thinking as well as their American heritage in order to accommodate President Bush and the Republican Party. I further charge them with selling their spiritual birthright for a mess of political pottage!

With no real competition in the form of a marquee candidate like Ross Perot, Ron Paul or Pat Buchanan, the Peroutka/Baldwin ticket had the Right wing purists pretty much all to themselves, which might explain why they were one of the very few third parties to see an improvement in their percentages when compared to the 2000 election. They almost had some competition from a party splintered off the Reform Party in 2002 by Buchananites called the America First Party, but it imploded after a short time due to a fiasco involving the invitation and then disinvitation of Bo Gritz to speak at their convention. In 2004 the barely existent AFP endorsed Peroutka. Apparently the AFP is still around today.

The ticket was also endorsed by the white nationalist League of the South (designated as a hate group by the SPLC), the Georgia chapter of the Southern Party, and radio tabloid conspiracy host Alex Jones. They almost snagged Pat Buchanan's nod, but he eventually endorsed Bush and returned to the Republicans after leaving the Reform Party.

On the ballot in three dozen states and write-ins in several more, the Peroutka/Baldwin ticket had their highest percentages in Utah 0.74%, Alaska 0.67%, Idaho 0.52%, Montana 0.39%, South Carolina 0.33%, Virginia 0.32%, Oregon 0.29%, South Dakota 0.28%, Louisiana 0.27%, and Wyoming 0.26%. With the exception of Oregon, these were all states where George W. Bush won with a comfortable margin. Baldwin was not on the ballot in Kansas, the stand-in running-mate in that state (what a strange phrase) was James N. Clymer.

I will continue the Chuck Baldwin story when the 2008 and 2012 elections are covered.

Election history:
2008 - US President (Constitution Party) - defeated
2012 - Lt. Governor of Montana (Republican) - primary - withdrew
2012 - US President (Reform Party of Kansas) - defeated

Other occupations: pastor, radio show host, columnist, editor, state chairman of the Florida Moral Majority

Notes:
Baldwin briefly rejoined the Republican Party 2011-2015 and is now associated with the Independent American Party.