Steven Bernard Schulin, June 20, 1954 (Pennsylvania) -
VP candidate for America's Independent Party (2008)
VP candidate for America's Party (aka Non-affiliated aka Independent aka Life Family Constitution aka American Party) (2016)
Running mate with nominee (2008): Alan Lee Keyes (b. 1950)
Running mate with nominee (2016): Thomas Conrad Hoefling (b. 1960)
Popular vote (2008): 38 (0.00%)
Popular vote (2016): 4,762 (0.00%)
Electoral vote (2008, 2016): 0/538
The campaign (2008):
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.
In Virginia, where Keye's was a write-in candidate, his running-mate was Steve Schulin who was also one of the early organizers of America's Independent Party and the Maryland Independent Party affiliate. In Sept. 2010, Schulin provided a political autobiographical summary on the freerepublic.com boards that included the following--
Sept 2010 update
After Bill Clinton left the White House, my blood pressure went back to normal. I supported Alan Keyes for President in 2000 (and he continues to represent my views better than any other presidential candidate in my lifetime). When McCain had won enough delegates to capture the GOP nomination in 2008, I decided to look elsewhere for a political party home. I still consider myself a libertarian, but the Libertarian Party doesn't reflect my view that there are serious implications of the wonderful American perspective that our liberties are God-given. There's other things I disagree with many libertarians about, too -- I'm in favor of strict control of who's entering our national borders, for example. I urge all God-fearing, liberty-loving, sovereignty-conserving Freepers to check out America's Party.
Keyes national vote was 47,941 (0.04%). 38 (0.00%) of those came from the write-in ticket with Schulin. Keyes' other VPs were Wiley Drake in California, Brian Rohrbough the official America's Independent Party VP nationally, and Marvin Sprouse Jr. in Texas. Write-in votes for Keyes were reported in 12 more states where no running-mate was included.
Schulin, who had been an Elector for America's Independent Party, also supported the Obama "birther" challenge launched by Keyes following the election.
The campaign (2016):
In 2016 Tom Hoefling was making his second consecutive run for President under the banner of America's Party. In 2011 the Party had shortened their name from the original America's Independent Party. Hoefling's running-mate was Steve Schulin.
Hoefling had briefly rejoined the Republican Party between the elections in order to run for Governor of Iowa. He lost the primary. Upon returning to the world of third parties for the 2016 election he sought the Presidential nomination of the Constitution and American Independent parties without success, but did gain the nomination of the American Party and America's Party.
The campaign webpage included Hoefling's platform in a nutshell--
Tom Hoefling's Ten Keys to Saving the American Republic
1. Remind the American people that the source of their rights is God, not men, and that those rights are therefore unalienable.
2. Restore governmental protection for the equal right of all innocent persons, including unborn persons, to live.
3. Restore and protect the most fundamental and important civilizing institution of our society, the God-created, God-defined institution of marriage and the natural family.
4. Restore and protect our God-given right to keep and bear arms.
5. Defend the sovereignty, security, and borders of the United States.
6. Restore and protect our republican form of self-government, which is of the people, by the people, and for the people.
7. Restore respect for all of the sacred obligations of the solemn oath of office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.
8. Bring about fundamental tax, regulatory, and governmental reforms.
9. Dismantle all governmental programs, agencies or laws which are either immoral, unconstitutional, or unnecessary.
10. Rein in our out-of-control, usurping judiciary.
If you share in these commitments, you should support my efforts, for the sake of our Posterity.
The Hoefling/Schulin ticket could be found on the ballots in Colorado (0.03%), and under the Life, Family, Constitution banner in Louisiana (0.08%). They were also registered write-ins in 25 states, with their best percentages (0.01%) in Indiana, Tennessee, and Texas.
Election history:
2008 - US House of Representatives (Md.) (Independent) - special election - defeated
2008 - US House of Representatives (Md.) (Unaffiliated) - defeated
2013 - North Myrtle Beach City Council, S.C. - defeated
Other occupations: nuclear power industry technician, Dean of Admissions of Cryptocurrency.academy, Nerium International mulitilevel marketing representative, ecommerce
Notes:
Ran as a write-in in the 2008 congressional elections.
