Jason Matthew Coleman

 

Jason Matthew Coleman, January 14, 1969 -

VP candidate for Independent (2008)

Running mate with nominee: Richard R. Rosenkranz (b. ca1966)
Popular vote: 0 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Richard Rosenkranz was a professor of human ecology at Kansas State University when he decided to run for President as a write-in. His running-mate was his brother-in-law, Jason M. Coleman, also a resident of Manhattan, Kansas. Coleman was a librarian at KSU with a newly minted MLS.

Speaking as a former academic faculty librarian myself, I can sort of understand what Rosenkranz said when he outlined Coleman's qualifications, "He's the only one crazy enough I could talk into being my Vice-Presidential pick." The duo became registered write-ins in Kansas.

Rosenkranz appeared to run simply because he could, "I think a lot of us growing up thought it would be neat to run for President, or to be President."

Other brother-in-law tickets included when William Gahres of the Down With Lawyers Party selected his brother-in-law Joseph F. Loughlin as his VP in 1980, also the 2008 independent ticket of William Louis Mills, Jr. with VP David Henry Hinton.

Since both Rosenkranz and Coleman were residents of the same state there would have been a problem according to the Constitution, but as no votes were reported for them a legal crisis was averted.

Election history: none.

Other occupations: librarian

Notes:
MLS, Emporia State University, 2007

David Henry Hinton

 

David Henry Hinton, Feb. 25, 1952 (Indiana) -

VP candidate for Independent (2008)

Running mate with nominee: William Louis Mills, Jr. (b. 1953)
Popular vote: ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

The ticket of William Louis "Billy" Mills, Jr. of Morgantown, Ky. and David Hinton of Louisville, Ky. were registered as write-ins in their home state. Mills had filed with the FEC on Nov. 15, 2007.

It appears Mills and Hinton were brothers-in-law. The campaign treasurer was Theresa Mills Hinton, wife of running-mate David Hinton and sister of Billy Mills. It wouldn't be the first time a ticket had this sort of relationship. In 1980 William Gahres of the Down With Lawyers Party selected his brother-in-law Joseph F. Loughlin as his VP.

The Mills/Hinton team ran what I call a stealth campaign as I cannot find any record of their platform. Kentucky did not report the returns for write-ins, so we'll never know how many votes they really earned. In any event, the fact they were residents of the same state would have posed a problem with them assuming office in the event of their victory as far as the Constitution is concerned.

Election history: none

Other occupations: business broker

Notes:
Lived in Indiana prior to Kentucky.