Usera
Jonathan OldHorse, March 26, 1969 -
VP candidate for US Era Party (2016)
Running-mate with nominee: Joshua David Usera (b. 1980)
Popular vote: ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
Using his surname as his slogan, Josh Usera's theme during his 2016 Presidential campaign was promotion of the "Us Era." The martial artist was a resident not far from Rapid City, S.D. and had wanted to run for the White House ever since childhood. One of his political challenges was overcoming the stigma of acquiring three DUIs and having a probation officer. He filed with the FEC in Oct. 2014 under the committee names of "Elect Josh Usera 2016 for POTUSA," and also "JU Enterprises and Ninja Headquarters."
Looking past the broad generalities of Usera's 2016 platform, he seemed to be a Right-leaning centrist. He did not appear to have a central online presence devoted strictly to the electioneering. When he later ran in 2020 it was easier to find his stand on the issues.
Usera was one of the figures mentioned in Craig Tomashoff's The Can't-idates. In a Facebook response thanking the author in 2015, Usera included the news, "I've tentatively chosen my Presidential Partner/Vice President... Jon OldHorse... He was with us while you interviewed me in Rapid City... He's a father, veteran and Native American... I feel he would be a great asset to America and if I wasn't running for President, I'd nominate/vote for him to lead the nation. All in all, things are going well for us..."
OldHorse had moved to Rapid City from Lakewood, Colo. a few years earlier. Like Usera, he apparently was also involved in martial arts.
The Usera/OldHorse ticket did not appear on any ballots nor were any write-in votes reported. One legal snag that would have surfaced in the event of their victory was that they were residents of the same state, which is a problem as far as the Constitution is concerned.
Election history: none
Other occupations: US Army, Pastor of Woyatan Lutheran Church
Notes:
Also known as John M. Yoesting.
Can speak Lakota.
