Darcy George Richardson

 

Darcy George Richardson, December 6, 1955 (Pittsburgh, Penn.) -  

VP candidate for Alliance Party (aka Independent aka Independent Republican aka Reform Party of the United States of America aka Natural Law Party aka Independence Party) (2020)

Running mate with nominee: Roque De La Fuente Guerra (b. 1954)
Popular vote: 28,098 (0.02%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Perennial candidate Rocky De La Fuente had an interesting year in 2020. He initially ran for the Republican Presidential nomination and at the same time entered the Republican primary for the 21st congressional district in California. In the latter race, his son was running in the primary as a Democrat. In all of these cases, victory proved elusive.

Although De La Fuente had initially filed with the FEC as a Republican on May 16, 2019 he went on to gain the Presidential nomination of the Alliance Party on Apr. 25, 2020. On June 20, 2020, the Reform Party also nominated De La Fuente, just as they had in 2016. The Natural Law Party jumped on board and backed his candidacy as well. His 2020 running-mate in each of these cases was Darcy Richardson.

Richardson has a long history with third parties, both as a candidate, political operative, and 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 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. On July 15, 2019 he had filed with the FEC for President as a Reform Party candidate, but later withdrew as other options surfaced.

More than any other person in my generation, Richardson's political journey is basically the history of third parties in late 20th/early 21st century America. No doubt I am missing a few entities here, he has also been linked as candidate or campaign worker with the Democratic Party, Citizens Party, Consumer Party, New Democrat, Boston Tea Party, Reform Party of the United States of America, Peace and Freedom Party, just plain Independent, Alliance Party, Socialist Party of the United States of America, Independent Republican, Independence Party, Natural Law Party, and Minnesota Progressives. It is possible he holds the record in this regard among third party VPs.

Although the Alliance Party was a new entity it was comprised of several older political parties now operating under one name. The Party's website offered a summary of their genealogy--

How the Alliance Formed

America’s growing dissatisfaction with a failing, polarizing two-party system and recognizing there is strength in numbers and a deep desire to put people and country over politics and greed, eleven independent political parties merged under one banner - The Alliance Party.

On October 14, 2018, in Denver, Colorado, three political parties - the American Moderates Party, the Modern Whig Party and the American Party of South Carolina - agreed to merge to create The Alliance Party.  On January 4, 2019, the Alliance Party officially registered with the Federal Elections Commission.

The following parties merged into the Alliance after the merger of the original three.

    Independence Party of Minnesota (2019)
    American Alliance Party (2019)
    Independent Party of Connecticut (2020)
    American Delta Party (2020)

Prior to the 2018 meeting, six independent parties had merged into the Modern Whig Party between 2008 and 2016.

    USA Party (2008)
    Veterans Party (2008)
    American Centrist Party (2010)
    Center Party (2010)
    National Centrist Party (2011)
    American Moderate Party of California (2016)

Discussions are under way with other independent, grassroots parties and organizations to join the Alliance.

Rather than issuing a platform the Party released a "Manifesto" with a message they viewed as pragmatic and centrist. Instead of picking through this long document, I'll focus on two items that seem to get to the core of their philosophy as it relates to the issues of 2020. First, their requirements in order to be a candidate under their banner, as found in the Nov. 2020 website--

All Alliance candidates are held to high expectations and requirements, because public service by way of elected office is among the highest of callings.

We require, monitor and enforce term limits for all of our federal and state legislative offices.

In addition, we require transparency from candidates when running for office and while serving in office. Requirements for federal and state legislative include fully disclosing all contributions during campaigns and while in office; providing redacted copies of their 1040 personal tax returns from the most recent three years; providing annual disclosure of all income received while in office during the preceding year, including the source and amount.

We expect all Alliance candidates and elected officials to demonstrate civility, honesty, tolerance and humility in their interactions with others. Each candidate enters into a written agreement with the Alliance with regards to these expectations. You may find the State and Federal Agreement HERE, and the Local Agreement HERE. [I did not include hot links here--SW]

We expect all Alliance candidates and elected officials to function as pragmatic problem solvers. Functionally, this requirement means country over party; progress over ideology; with an emphasis on constituent concerns and needs.

The second item I found to be pertinent in regard to the peculiar state of the union in 2020 and the Alliance Party's standpoint came from Richardson's Vice-Presidential nominee acceptance speech on Apr. 25, 2020--

Hello everyone. It’s an honor and a privilege to be addressing the inaugural national convention of the Alliance Party, a party — as fate would have it — emerging on the American political scene in one of our nation’s darkest moments, an uncertain period in which the United States may be facing its greatest challenge in modern history.

The deadly COVID-19 pandemic, which has already claimed more than 53,000 American lives while exposing the inadequacies of the U.S. health care system, coupled with what will almost certainly be an ensuing deep recession or, more likely, a depression from which we are unlikely to soon recover, presents a most unpredictable future for all of mankind.

As national chairman James Rex — I love Jim, he’s great — has eloquently pointed out, the twin crises facing this country demonstrates just how ill-prepared the special interest-​dominated duopoly was in preparing for the kind of pandemic the country is now facing. Knowing that the kaleidoscopic impacts of climate change multiplies the threats of infectious diseases, and given the SARS, the Zika virus, MERS and Ebola outbreaks in recent decades and the very real possibility of a more widespread global pandemic in the near future, both parties share in the blame for this country’s unforgivable lack of preparedness.

As Jim has said repeatedly, the United States had ample warnings — decades, actually — yet our leaders had done little or nothing to prepare the country for the kind of pandemic we’re now tragically experiencing. How pathetic that the United States, once the manufacturing marvel of the world, had to rely on life-saving ventilators, masks and other basic Personal Protective Equipment from counties like China and South Korea at the outset of this deadly crisis.

Making matters worse, President Trump squandered at least eight weeks at the ​beginning of this health crisis calling the coronavirus a “hoax” — and that was only four months after he shuttered the U.S. Agency for International Development’s PREDICT program, which was responsible for identifying and combating new emerging viruses. The President’s slash-and-burn approach to the scientific wing of the federal government also includes trying repeatedly —and sometimes with success — to cut funding for the CDC’s unit for fighting global pandemics. Shame on him.

But the Democrats, who have been reduced to second-guessing the Republicans in recent years, also share in the blame. They, too, have neglected science and research as federal funding for basic research in these critical areas has shrunk markedly over the past two decades during Democratic and Republican administrations alike. The Democrats controlled the House for half that period and, likewise, held a working majority in the U.S. Senate for ten of those twenty years.

​The forthcoming campaign will undoubtedly be a difficult one, but I am deeply honored and humbled to be part of this much-needed effort. I know that Rocky — the favorite son of all fifty states and of every country that still looks to the United States for leadership — feels the same way.

Following a steady forty-year decline, one in which our middle class was virtually hollowed out through misguided trade deals such as NAFTA, the Alliance Party, in my view, is the party this country has been waiting for — a party determined to end, once and for all, the hyper-partisanship and extreme polarization of American politics and, most importantly, a party capable of returning the United States to its historic, independent and positive role as a force for good around the globe.

We should once again be a beacon to the rest of the world, especially at a time when most nations are gripped with fear and uncertainty. We’re Americans, after all.

This is our moment. Let the Bloodless Revolution of the year Two Thousand and ​Twenty begin, ushering in a new and creative approach to the myriad issues facing our country which will once again make the United States of America a Gold Medalist nation in education, the environment and a world-class health care system while creating an innovative economy for the 21st Century that works for everyone, not just the investor class, or the so-called one percent.

Thank you and keep the faith. And stay safe everybody.

Something unexpected happened to the campaign on Aug. 15, 2020.  

The far Right and Christian-based American Independent Party in California, which had nominated Trump/Pence in 2016, chose De La Fuente as their nominee. But Richardson was bumped as the VP and replaced with Kanye West. Apparently this VP choice was accomplished without input from any of the nominees. De La Fuente said, "I was not consulted to see if I wanted Mr. West as my running mate ... Obviously, we're a weird— and I wanted Mr. Richardson as my running mate— but it was their decision and their decision only."

De La Fuente had entered the AIP primary in Mar. 2020, but came in second to Phil Collins, who was also the Prohibition Party nominee for President.

The Independent Political Report quoted Darcy Richardson--

“Please let Rocky know that if he runs with the unstable, bi-polar Trump-loving Kanye West in California that I will withdraw as his vice-presidential running mate nationally,” Richardson declared in a text message to [AIP official Mark] Seidenberg earlier today. “I’ve spent my entire adult life battling the duopoly and certainly DO NOT want my name associated with a candidacy that peripherally includes a Trump/GOP plant like the unhinged rapper….Bill Shearer must be rolling over in his grave.”

It should be noted that Richardson did remain in the race, or at that was my impression when I posted our interview Oct. 6, 2020. In it he said--

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.

https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2020/10/darcy-richardson-2020-vp-alliance-party.html

West was also not pleased with being nominated VP, calling the AIP "deceitful" and issued a statement that included, "I am campaigning to be the next president of our great country — not vice president ... The political party in California that listed my name as its VP candidate has done so without my knowledge ... Californians, I ask for your vote for president and urge you to write in ‘Kanye West.’"

The De La Fuente/West ticket placed 5th out of the 6 positions on the California ballot with 0.34% of the vote in that state. It was by far De La Fuente's largest bloc of votes nationally.

The ticket with Richardson as the VP made the ballot in 14 states and registered write-ins in at least 5 more. The strongest results (with party listing) were in Rhode Island 0.18% (Alliance) -- Minnesota 0.17% (Independence/Alliance) -- Idaho 0.17% (Independent) -- Maine 0.14% (Alliance) -- Arkansas 0.11% (Independent).

Election history:
1979 - Cheltenham Township Commission, Montgomery County, Penn. (Democrat) - defeated
1980 - Pennsylavania State Auditor General (Consumer Party) - defeated
1983 - Cheltenham Township Commission, Montgomery County, Penn. (Democrat) - defeated
1985 - Cheltenham Township Finance Officer, Montgomery County, Penn. (Democrat) - defeated
1988 - US Senate (Penn.) (Consumer Party) - defeated
1990 - US House of Representatives (Penn.) (Democratic) - primary - withdrew
1990 - US House of Representatives (Penn.) (Independent) - defeated
1991 - US House of Representatives (Penn.) (Consumer Party) - special election - replaced by party
1992 - Independent Voters Primary (Mass.) - defeated
2010 - Lt. Governor of Florida (No Party Affiliation) - defeated
2012 - Democratic nomination for US President - defeated
2012 - Reform Party of the United States of America nomination for US President - defeated
2016 - Reform Party of the United States of America nomination for US President - defeated
2018 - Florida House of Representatives (Reform Party of the United States of America) - withdrew
2018 - Governor of Florida (Reform Party of the United States of America) - defeated
2020 - Reform Party of the United States of America nomination for US President - withdrew

Other occupations: steamship industry worker, manufacturing manager for an industrial heat treating equipment firm, financial analyst and operations manager, historian, author, campaign manager, political party executive

Notes:
Winner of the 1988 election was H. John Heinz III.

Kanye Omari West

 

Kanye Omari West, June 8, 1977 (Atlanta, Ga.) -

VP candidate for Independent (2016)
VP candidate for American Independent Party (2020)
VP candidate for Independent (2020)

Running mate with nominee (2016): Ryan Higa (b. 1990)
Running mate with nominee (2020): Roque De La Fuente Guerra (b. 1954)
Running mate with nominee (2020): Sammy Kenyatte Belton (b. 1979)
Popular vote (2016): ? (0.00%)
Popular vote (2020 : AIP): 60,160 (0.04%)
Popular vote (2020 : Independent): 0 (0.00%)
Electoral vote (2016, 2020): 0/538

The campaign (2016):

Comedian Ryan Higa, a major personality on Youtube, had run for President in 2012 in a mock campaign. He repeated the joke in 2016 ("Vote for me and all of your wildest dreams will be dreams") but this time named a running-mate, Kanye West. Well, the only clue to that is a brief mention in a video where Higa refers to West as "my future Vice-President."

No disrespect is intended here, but I am not in West's target demographic as far as his entertainment career goes. My first real exposure to him was in 2005 when, while standing beside comedian Mike Myers, he stated "George Bush doesn't care about black people" in the course of raising funds for relief of Hurricane Katrina victims.

Other than that I am dimly aware he is connected with the Kardashians (who I also know almost nothing about), my main source of information being the covers of gossip tabloids on display while I wait in line at the grocery store. Also that he has been struggling with mental health challenges and is prone to making controversial statements. And, I can see he has large following and is considered a gifted, brilliant musical artist.

West the politician has been erratic. Over time he has supported Democrats and Republicans, changing alliances in a dramatic fashion. In Sept. 2015 West announced he was planning to run for President in 2020. In an interview with Vanity Fair, West stated--

    "I sit in clubs and I’m like, Wow, I’ve got five years before I go and run for office and I’ve got a lot of research to do, I’ve got a lot of growing up to do. My dad has two masters degrees. My mom has a PhD, she used to work at Operation PUSH. Somehow the more and more creative I get, the closer and closer I get to who I was as a child. When I was a child, I was holding my mom’s hand at Operation PUSH. I think it’s time. Rap is great. It’s fun. It’s fun to be a rock star, and I’ll never not be one I guess, but there’ll be a point where I become my mother’s child. With all the things I’ve done that people would consider to be accomplishments, what’s the point where I become the person that Donda and Raymond West raised? My parents’ child."

The campaign (2020 : AIP):

As good as his word, West did indeed run for President in 2020. I'll cover that campaign when I profile his running-mate. Meanwhile--

Perennial candidate Rocky De La Fuente had an interesting year in 2020. He initially ran for the Republican Presidential nomination and at the same time entered the Republican primary for the 21st congressional district in California. In the latter race, his son was running in the primary as a Democrat. In all of these cases, victory proved elusive.

De La Fuente went on to gain the Presidential nomination of the Alliance Party on Apr. 25, 2020. On June 20, 2020, the Reform Party also nominated De La Fuente, just as they had in 2016. His 2020 running-mate was Darcy Richardson.

Then something unexpected happened on Aug. 15, 2020.  

The far Right and Christian-based American Independent Party in California, which had nominated Trump/Pence in 2016, chose De La Fuente as their nominee. But Richardson was bumped as the VP and replaced with Kanye West. Apparently this VP choice was accomplished without input from any of the nominees. De La Fuente said, "I was not consulted to see if I wanted Mr. West as my running mate ... Obviously, we're a weird—and I wanted Mr. Richardson as my running mate—but it was their decision and their decision only."

De La Fuente had entered the AIP primary in Mar. 2020, but came in second to Phil Collins, who was also the Prohibition Party nominee for President.

The Independent Political Report quoted Darcy Richardson--

“Please let Rocky know that if he runs with the unstable, bi-polar Trump-loving Kanye West in California that I will withdraw as his vice-presidential running mate nationally,” Richardson declared in a text message to [AIP official Mark] Seidenberg earlier today. “I’ve spent my entire adult life battling the duopoly and certainly DO NOT want my name associated with a candidacy that peripherally includes a Trump/GOP plant like the unhinged rapper….Bill Shearer must be rolling over in his grave.”

It should be noted that Richardson did remain in the race, or at that was my impression when I posted our interview Oct. 6, 2020. In it he said--

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.

https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2020/10/darcy-richardson-2020-vp-alliance-party.html

West was also not pleased with being nominated VP, calling the AIP "deceitful" and issued a statement that included, "I am campaigning to be the next president of our great country — not vice president ... The political party in California that listed my name as its VP candidate has done so without my knowledge ... Californians, I ask for your vote for president and urge you to write in ‘Kanye West.’"

The De La Fuente/West ticket placed 5th out of the 6 positions on the California ballot with 0.34% of the vote in that state. It was by far De La Fuente's largest bloc of votes nationally.

The campaign (2020 : Independent):

Sammy Belton, a hair stylist and musician of Milwaukee, Wis. filed as an Independent for US President with the FEC on July 25, 2020. An online petition he created provided a thesis statement for his campaign--

I Sammy K. Belton must be President of United States of America in order to bring justice to the families of African American men and women who lost their lives due to unethical conduct of law enforcement while yet honoring the noble officers who uphold the code of conduct with a significant raise in salary for upright law enforcement with more severe repercussions for infractions. I'd declare reparations and free healthcare for African Americans. Most importantly the constitution will reflect the biblical constitution of God.

His electioneering was chiefly on social media. In October he included Kanye West as his VP, although it is doubtful West himself knew about the honor or would have agreed to it. Some samples from Facebook (in many cases accompanied by a video presentation)--

July 20, 2020
We don’t own the music
The First Black President to follow God’s Laws
Vote Sammy Belton for President 2020
Sign the petition Now
Words of Wisdom & Warning
Conquering Corona Through Submission To Jesus Christ the Son of God & Savior to All Mankind

Oct. 10, 2020
We don’t own the music
Presidential Address
Make Sure You Write -In Sammy K. Belton for President of The United States
In Jesus Name
Supernatural Energy Aligning All Mankind Unto Christ

Oct. 11, 2020
We don’t own the music and video in background
Presidential Address
African American Jewish Reparation Foundation - $6 Trillion+Owed to African Americans
Celebrity Status Gospel Live
Fall of Man
Syncretic Deification -Taoism Wu Wei The Way 10 Precepts
Forbidden Fruit
Covid 19 In relation to This Election and God speaking to Wisconsin & America Through Me
Our Requirement to Establish The Kingdom of Heaven on Earth
Vote Sammy K. Belton for President of The United States In Jesus Name!
Kanye West for Vice President
“Don’t keep blaming white people and police for our disobedience to God as Black People “
As we unite in Christ as African Americans the world will follow God!

Oct. 13, 2020
We don’t own the music and video in background
True Birth of Jesus Christ 3/19
COVID-19- March 19, 2020
Therefore you are experiencing the coming of Jesus Christ
Use wisdom and follow Me as I Am being lead By The Holy Spirit to save our nation world and universe alike in Jesus Name Amen!
Forgiveness for our universal ignorance of who we are as mankind!
Vote Sammy K. Belton for President of The United States
Vice Presidential Elect-Kanye West

Oct. 30, 2020
We don’t own the music and video in background
Presidential Address
Attention Wisconsin & America Alike
Especially Local Christian Leaders & Assemblies
Judgement to those who don’t accept God’s Messenger to liberate His People
Warning ⚠️ to The Church ⛪️
Vote Sammy K. Belton for President of The United States 🇺🇸
VP CANDIDATE KANYE WEST
IN JESUS NAME NAME AMEN 🙏
VIDEO RELEASE TONIGHT ALL SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS

Nov. 2, 2020
We don’t own the music and video in background
Presidential Address
Apocalyptic Potentials - Preparedness for Kingdom Citizens
The necessity of Believers in Christ to United and Trained to protect each other
Vote Sammy K. Belton for President of The United States VP CANDIDATE KANYE WEST
IF YOU BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST YOU MUST VOTE FOR Sammy Belton TRUST GOD!
Shalom

Nov. 3, 2020
We don’t own the music and video in background
Presidential Address
Polygyny-Kingdom Marriage
Purification of Our Family Lifestyle
Benefits for our children men and women to break the cycle of disfunction
Restoring our African Edenic Kingdom Lifestyle
Importance of Unity Upon Armageddon
Planning Our Return Back to Africa- Dual Citizenship
Donate to cash app $Pastorkash100
Vote Sammy K. Belton for President ofThe United States 🇺🇸 VP CANDIDATE KANYE WEST
Shalom

Belton did not appear to be a registered write-in in any state, so no votes were reported.

Election history:
2020 - US President (Birthday Party) - defeated

Other occupations: musical artist, producer, fashion design, Fatburger restaurants, philanthropist, actor

Notes:
West has been teasing a run for President in 2024.

Edward Emery Leamer

 

Edward Emery Leamer, May 24, 1944 (La Crosse, Wis.) -

VP candidate for Kotlikoff for President (aka Non Affiliated aka Independent aka It's Our Children aka Unaffiliated) (2016)

Running mate with nominee: Laurence Jacob Kotlikoff (b. 1951)
Popular vote: 3,574 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Boston-based economist Laurence Kotlikoff filed with the FEC on May 11, 2016 on his second quest for the US Presidency. In 2012 he had attempted to gain the nomination of the ill-fated Americans Elect project and was also a contender for the Reform Party nomination. In 2016 he ran as an independent under the Kotlikoff for President banner and chose fellow economist Ed Leamer as his VP.

Kotlikoff described his history with Leamer--

I first met Ed in 1973 when I started graduate school in economics at Harvard where Ed was serving as a young professor. Even though he was a professor and I was a student, we instantly became friends and have remained extremely close friends over the years. In 1975, Ed left Harvard for UCLA. I joined him there as a post doctoral fellow in 1977. I headed to Yale in 1980, but the three years with Ed were an exceptional education in how to pose and answer economic questions. Ed and I have spent the intervening years discussing economic policy problems and solutions. We are of one mind on our domestic problems and foreign policy challenges and how to address them. This includes the paramount importance of fixing our institutions from the ground up and placing our children's welfare at the center of all policy discussions.

Other than Leamer as VP, Kotlikoff's dream team would have raided the US Senate in several cases. His first picks included--

Sec. of Defense: John McCain or Lindsay Graham
Sec. of State: Robert Gates or Dennis Ross
CIA Director: Diane Feinstein
Sec. of Homeland Security: Rob Portman
Director of OMB: John Kasich
Sec. of Health and Human Service: Bernie Sanders
Sec. of Commerce: Mitt Romney or Bill Gates or Michael Bloomberg
Sec. of Interior: Marco Rubio
Sec. of Agriculture: John Thune
Sec. of HUD: Barbara Boxer
Sec. of Transportation: Kelly Ayotte

For more information on this campaign I would direct the reader to my interview with Dr. Leamer from nearly two years ago--

https://thirdpartysecondbananas.blogspot.com/2019/06/edward-e-leamer-2016-independent-vp.html

The ticket made the ballot in Colorado (0.01%) and Louisiana (0.05%) and were registered write-ins in at least 26 states with the potential of well over 270 Electoral College votes. Interestingly, nearly one third of their votes came from write-ins in Texas.

Election history: none

Other occupations: economist, teacher, author, editor, speaker

Notes:
Princeton (B.A., mathematics, 1966), University of Michigan (M.A., mathematics, Ph.D., economics, 1970).

Michael Alan Steinberg

 

Michael Alan Steinberg, February 6, 1959 -

VP candidate for American Delta Party (aka Reform Party of the United States of America aka Non Affiliated aka Independent Democratic aka Independent aka Unaffiliated) (2016)

Running mate with nominee: Roque De La Fuente Guerra (b. 1954)
Popular vote: 33,136 (0.02%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Michael Steinberg, an attorney in Florida, filed for President with the FEC on Nov. 13, 2013 as a Democrat. His webpage revealed a centrist approach to the issues. The FAQ section was the most interesting part--

Q. According to recent polls, Hillary Clinton is the overwhelming favorite to win the Democratic nomination. Why are you wasting your time?

A. Hillary Clinton has not even announced whether she is going to run yet. She will be 69 years old in 2016. She may decide that she does not want to run. If she does not run, who are the other choices? Joe Biden might run, but he will be 74 years old and he does not appear to have a huge base of support. There are other potential candidates, but none who are nationally recognized, except by people who avidly follow politics. If Hillary does not run, the race is wide open.

Q. But no one has heard of you. You are not even on the radar as a candidate. How do you expect anyone to vote for you?

A. In today's social media world, anything can happen. A video can go viral. The news media may focus on Social Security or Veterans Affairs, in which matters I have substantial experience. Sure it's a long shot, but if given the exposure, I believe I will be able to demonstrate that I am qualified.

Q. How do you plan on raising money?

A. Good question. First, I have to ask myself, why do I contribute money to candidates. If you go to the FEC.gov website and search my name, you will see that I have contributed a lot of money to political candidates and committees. If a candidate supports an issue about which I feel strongly, I will support his or her campaign, even if he or she is an underdog. This is because the candidate is voicing an opinion about this issue and bringing it to the attention of the public and media. While I have a broad range of experience and have studied most of the issues which might be raised in the 2016 election, the issues in which I have the most passion are the sustainability of the Social Security programs, healthcare, and Veterans benefits. There are attorneys and healthcare providers who might contribute to the campaign to insure that these issues are discussed and debated. Of course, I would have to have some notoriety, to expect contributions, as I doubt they would throw their money away on a complete unknown.

Q. So how do you propose to gain "notoriety"?

A. I have a few ideas, which I will share. If someone is reading this, they probably searched a web browser using words such as "2016 primary candidates" or "2016 primary elections". Last year I decided to purchase the URL www.2016primary.com. I figured that when people were searching for information about the 2016 primary elections, these are the words they would put in the search engine. When they saw " vote for Michael Steinberg in the Democratic Presidential primaries", out of curiosity, some might check out my website. My hunch was correct. My website usually comes up on the first page of a search for information about 2016 presidential primary candidates. My website has already been visited by many people, and I suspect, that  as the primaries draw closer, more people will visit my website. Eventually, a reporter might do a story about lesser known candidates. If the opportunity arises, I am confident that I will be able to demonstrate that I am knowledgeable about the issues, and have the experience necessary to perform the job.

Q. Do you have any skeletons in your closet?

A. Not really. I never used drugs, I rarely drink, and never to excess, I have been married only once and am still married after 30 years. I have never been arrested, However, no one is perfect.

When I was young, I did stand-up comedy and have told inappropriate jokes. I also trained to be a professional wrestler. I missed a deadline on an appeal once and was admonished by the Florida Bar. About 20 years ago I, along with some friends, thought it would be funny to open a bagel store where the waitresses would wear lingerie outfits. That lasted about 6 months. Needless to say, that wasn't such a great idea. Many years ago I was late paying my income taxes and had a tax lien for a few days. That's about it.

Q. Your campaign sounds interesting. How can I help?

​A. You can contribute a few dollars using the contribution page, You can volunteer to help collect petition signatures, and you can post a  link to my website on your Facebook page.

I will soon have a youtube channel. You can subscribe to my channel and "like" my videos.

Meanwhile, San Diego businessman Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente Guerra filed with the FEC as also as a Democrat for President on Oct. 1, 2015.

Considering there were over 50 Democratic candidates both De La Fuente and Steinberg didn't do too badly in terms of the popular vote in the primaries. De La Fuente ranked #5 (after Clinton, Sanders, Uncommitted, and O'Malley) and Steinberg was 10th.

Even though his address on his FEC form in early 2016 was still in San Diego, De La Fuente filed to run the Democratic primaries for US Senate in Florida in June, 2016. He would repeat this out-of-state tactic for the Senate in at least 9 states in 2018. Also around June 2016, he founded the American Delta Party as a vehicle to continue his Presidential run as a third party candidate.

De La Fuente was also nominated by the Reform Party and at some point Steinberg landed the VP spot no matter the party label. The American Third Party Report posted an interview with Reform Party Secretary Nicholas Hensley in Aug. 2016 and this backstory was included--

Question: The Reform Party chose Roque de la Fuente as its presidential candidate. Can you tell us why that decision was made, and how it came to be?

Answer: Turn out for minor party conventions are motivated by two factors. The first factor is a competitive presidential nomination. Up until two or three weeks before the convention, we had two candidates. We were sure of the final outcome.

The second factor is internal contention over office elections, platform planks, and bylaws. We knew how those votes were going to fall, and no one wished to contest the likely outcomes. These factors created a foreseeable low turnout convention.

About two or three weeks before the election, in a three day time span, Roque de la Fuente and Darcy Richardson announced their intentions to run. I wish those announcements happened six months ago, so we had more time to vet the campaigns, and learn more about them.

Both of the candidates were formidable, and both had great things going for them. This means we had to weigh the pro’s and con’s of the four candidates. Look at numerous factors, and figure out which candidate was the best fit.

Darcy Richardson and Ken Cross were the two safe choices. Both of them were going to have little exposure, run on the pre-existing Reform Party lines, and circle the wagons. We knew them as people, and understood the risks surrounding them.  These were two “defensive investments”.

Both Lynn Kahn and Roque de la Fuente came with more risk. They were both new to the Reform Party, but were qualifying on more ballots. This created a risk versus reward scenario, and we had to weigh those measures. Due to these unknown risks and rewards, specifically on Roque de la Fuente’s side, we needed more time for research.

Of course Roque de la Fuente won out. Roque and the Reform Party were in agreement on ninety percent of the platform issues. Roque had deeper pockets and better fundraising abilities. He had more exposure, and he was able to assemble over twenty ballot lines. He also had a campaign staff, and better organizational structure. All of these were factors in the decision.

The ticket made the ballot in 20 states and were registered write-ins in a dozen more. In addition to the American Delta and Reform parties, they were sometimes listed as Democrats. They had a potential of 269 Electoral votes if they had carried every state, leaving them with a single vote left to take the White House.

Their best reported results: Alaska 0.39%, Vermont 0.33%, Montana 0.32%, Wyoming 0.27%, Nevada 0.23%, Idaho 0.20%, Tennessee 0.16%, Rhode Island 0.14%, North Dakota 0.11%, and Florida 0.10%. They finished in 8th place nationally.

Election history:
2002 - Florida State House of Representatives (Democratic) - defeated
2006 - US House of Representatives (Fla.) (Democratic) - primary - defeated
2010 - Florida State House of Representatives (Democratic) - defeated
2016 - Democratic nomination for US President - defeated

Other occupations: attorney

Notes:
Graduate of the University of Florida.

Jay D. Stolba

 

Jay D. Stolba, September 21, 1955 -

VP candidate for New Independent Party Iowa (aka Independent) (2016)

Running mate with nominee: Lynn Sandra Kahn (b. 1946)
Popular vote: 2,319 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Lynn Sandra Kahn with a campaign address in Kensington, Md. filed as an Independent for President with the FEC in Feb. 2015.

She described herself as "socially progressive and fiscally conservative," with "a long history in peace building and green energy." A psychologist by profession, Dr. Kahn had worked in that capacity and as a consultant for the Federal Aviation Administration and also had experience serving on the National Partnership for Reinventing Government. She was the author of Performance Networks: Transforming Governance for the 21st Century (2009), Results at the Edge: The Ten Rules of Government Reform (2003), and Peacemaking: A Systems Approach to Conflict Management (1988).

One of the more thoughtful and organized independent candidates, her platform was within the framework a seven-point agenda--

My goals for America include 25 million new jobs over the next 10 years; a world-class public health system; free tuition at public colleges; free early childhood education; community-based policing; a justice system that is just; a tax system that is fair; an immigration system that is compassionate; a realistic roadmap to an economy based on 100% clean, renewable energy; an energy grid that is independent of foreign governments and does not poison our air, water, soil and food; a 21st century economy where everyone who wants a job has a job at a living wage with benefits. Integrity demands this government honor our commitments to our veterans, our children, our seniors and our Native American brothers and sisters. This is the plan that will allow all that:

    Track 1: CUT ONE TRILLION DOLLARS OF GOVERNMENT WASTE and invest the savings in our families and our communities!
    Track 2: MULTIPLY SOLUTIONS
    Track 3: REINVENT ALL OUR AGENCIES STARTING ON DAY 1
    Track 4: BUILD PARTNERSHIPS
    Track 5: COMMUNICATE HONESTLY
    Track 6: MEASURE THE TRUTH
    Track 7. BUILD PEACE AT HOME AND AROUND THE WORLD

More than any other Presidential candidate of any party, I know how to look under the hood of our federal agencies to see what works, what does not work and what changes to make. For example, the current mission of the U.S. Department of Justice is organized around three words: “control, enforcement and punishment.” That mission will never solve mass incarceration, school-to-prison pipelines and tensions between communities and law enforcement. We must change that mission, re-set agency priorities, insert new requirements in budgeting systems and reverse policies that deny the connections between poverty, lousy schools, unemployment, low wages and entanglement in criminal justice systems.

The same work must be done in every federal agency; they are all out of touch with the dreams of We the People. I do not need on-the-job training. I can start all that on Day 1. And with my experience designing and facilitating Citizen Summits and Conversations with America, we will have true citizen input to the shape of our government and community control over what federal programs get funded.

Dr. Kahn attempted to gain ballot access in California via the Peace and Freedom Party, finishing in third place with 20% in their primary. It seems she was also a contender for the Reform Party nomination.

Kahn had two running-mates. Kathleen Monahan, who lived in Pensacola, Fla., and Jay Stolba of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Monahan, an expert on border control and homeland security, was considered the official VP nominee with semi-retired businessman Stolba being the stand-in.

Reported votes for Kahn came to a total of 5,730, but not all states report write-in numbers so the number could have been higher. The Kahn/Monahan ticket was on the ballot in Arkansas (0.30%), and write-ins in Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Washington, and West Virginia. The Kahn/Stolba ticket was on the ballot in Iowa (0.14%), and write-ins in Idaho, Nebraska, and New York. It seems that Kahn was initially to be on the ballot in New York but was invalidated.

In 2018 Kahn ran for US Congress in upstate N.Y. as a Green Party candidate.

Election history: none

Other occupations: Iowa Discount Shippers, Unishippers, real estate

Notes:
Registered Democrat.

Kathleen Elizabeth Monahan

 

Kathleen Elizabeth Monahan, December 2, 1946 (New York State) -

VP candidate for Independent (2016)

Running mate with nominee: Lynn Sandra Kahn (b. 1946)
Popular vote: 3,411 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Lynn Sandra Kahn with a campaign address in Kensington, Md. filed as an Independent for President with the FEC in Feb. 2015.

She described herself as "socially progressive and fiscally conservative," with "a long history in peace building and green energy." A psychologist by profession, Dr. Kahn had worked in that capacity and as a consultant for the Federal Aviation Administration and also had experience serving on the National Partnership for Reinventing Government. She was the author of Performance Networks: Transforming Governance for the 21st Century (2009), Results at the Edge: The Ten Rules of Government Reform (2003), and Peacemaking: A Systems Approach to Conflict Management (1988).

One of the more thoughtful and organized independent candidates, her platform was within the framework a seven-point agenda--

My goals for America include 25 million new jobs over the next 10 years; a world-class public health system; free tuition at public colleges; free early childhood education; community-based policing; a justice system that is just; a tax system that is fair; an immigration system that is compassionate; a realistic roadmap to an economy based on 100% clean, renewable energy; an energy grid that is independent of foreign governments and does not poison our air, water, soil and food; a 21st century economy where everyone who wants a job has a job at a living wage with benefits. Integrity demands this government honor our commitments to our veterans, our children, our seniors and our Native American brothers and sisters. This is the plan that will allow all that:

    Track 1: CUT ONE TRILLION DOLLARS OF GOVERNMENT WASTE and invest the savings in our families and our communities!
    Track 2: MULTIPLY SOLUTIONS
    Track 3: REINVENT ALL OUR AGENCIES STARTING ON DAY 1
    Track 4: BUILD PARTNERSHIPS
    Track 5: COMMUNICATE HONESTLY
    Track 6: MEASURE THE TRUTH
    Track 7. BUILD PEACE AT HOME AND AROUND THE WORLD

More than any other Presidential candidate of any party, I know how to look under the hood of our federal agencies to see what works, what does not work and what changes to make. For example, the current mission of the U.S. Department of Justice is organized around three words: “control, enforcement and punishment.” That mission will never solve mass incarceration, school-to-prison pipelines and tensions between communities and law enforcement. We must change that mission, re-set agency priorities, insert new requirements in budgeting systems and reverse policies that deny the connections between poverty, lousy schools, unemployment, low wages and entanglement in criminal justice systems.

The same work must be done in every federal agency; they are all out of touch with the dreams of We the People. I do not need on-the-job training. I can start all that on Day 1. And with my experience designing and facilitating Citizen Summits and Conversations with America, we will have true citizen input to the shape of our government and community control over what federal programs get funded.

Dr. Kahn attempted to gain ballot access in California via the Peace and Freedom Party, finishing in third place with 20% in their primary. It seems she was also a contender for the Reform Party nomination.

Kahn had two running-mates. Kathleen Monahan, who lived in Pensacola, Fla., and Jay Stolba of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Monahan, an expert on border control and homeland security, was considered the official VP nominee with semi-retired businessman Stolba being the stand-in.

Reported votes for Kahn came to a total of 5,730, but not all states report write-in numbers so the number could have been higher. The Kahn/Monahan ticket was on the ballot in Arkansas (0.30%), and write-ins in Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Washington, and West Virginia. The Kahn/Stolba ticket was on the ballot in Iowa (0.14%), and write-ins in Idaho, Nebraska, and New York. It seems that Kahn was initially to be on the ballot in New York but was invalidated.

In 2018 Kahn ran for US Congress in upstate N.Y. as a Green Party candidate.

Election history: none

Other occupations: Dept. of Homeland Security, consultant

Notes:
Also known as Kathleen Monahan-Murphy.

Cathy L. Toole

 

Cathy L. Toole, March 15, 1961 -

VP candidate for Mississippi Reform Party (aka Reform Party of Mississippi) (2012, 2016)

Running mate with nominee (2012, 2016): Barbara Dale Washer (b. 1947)
Popular vote (2012): 1,016 (0.00%)
Popular vote (2016): 0 (0.00%)
Electoral vote (2012, 2016): 0/538

The campaign (2012):

Considered a rebel faction of the national Reform Party, the Mississippi Reform Party nominated their own Presidential ticket which appeared on the ballot in only one state-- Mississippi. Perennial Reform candidate for US Congress and state office Barbara Dale Washer of Hattiesburg was the standard bearer with Cathy L. Toole of Biloxi as the VP. They did not appear to have waged an energetic high-profile campaign.

Washer/Toole finished 6th out 6 on the ballot in Mississippi, with 0.08% of the vote. In the event of their victory there would have been a Constitutional problem since both Washer and Toole were residents of the same state.

The campaign (2016):

Ballot Access News reported on Sept. 9, 2016 the Mississippi Reform Party had once again nominated Washer/Toole. In addition to running for VP, Toole was also a candidate for US Congress.

A 2016 voter's guide covered Toole in the Congressional race--

Nationally, the Reform party favors fiscal conservatism and increased accountability for abuses of government power. It is hard to know the extent to which Ms. Toole agrees with the positions of her party’s national organization.  The only readily available public records indicate that she does have personal experience attempting to hold the federal government accountable for its commitments to individual citizens.  Ms. Toole has repeatedly filed suit against the US Department of Veterans Affairs seeking compensation related to her husband’s death.  She claims that his death in 1997 was related to a 1958 basic training accident from his service in the US Army, when he was hit in the head by a rifle.  

In 2015 Toole answered a questionnaire in her race for Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. She listed her priorities as--

    Lower gas prices
    Stop charging tax on food
    Begin a state lottery
    Pay teachers $4,000 per month/ $48,000 per year.
    Accept billions of dollars from Washington: immediately insure over 100,000, additional, working poor Mississippians.
    Fix the roads.
    Repair and/or build new bridges
    Cut the size of the state Senate to 15 Senators.
    Cut the size of the state House of Representatives to 15 Representatives.
    Pay college athletes money, plus, their college expenses.
    God loves you. (John 3:14-21)
    Jesus loves you. (Romans 10:9-13)
    The Holy Spirit loves you. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Meanwhile it appeared Washer was a Trump supporter which might explain why she did not wage a big campaign of her own in 2016. Her Aug. 1, 2016 Facebook entry included a photo of a Trump sticker on the rear of a bashed in car. It read--

To me America looks like the back of my car---wrecked.  It is my opinion that Trump is the man who can get us back on track, if anybody can.  I believe it would take a businessman to help us with our national debt.  What other kind of person could do it?  If Trump can make our country wealthy like he has made himself, then that's the man we need.  But, if he just reduces the debt,  then he's done more than all the rest.  TRUMP----Make America great again!  I'm for Donald Trump!

Contrary to news accounts at that time, Washer/Toole were not listed on the ballot in 2016 and no votes for the ticket were reported.

Election history:
2011 - Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce (Mississippi Reform Party) - defeated
2015 - Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce (Mississippi Reform Party) - defeated  2016 - US House of Representatives (Miss.) (Mississippi Reform Party) - defeated   

Other occupations: ?

Notes:
The Mississippi Reform Party could now be defunct, or at least their webpage is.

Milton Gordon

 

                                                                       Daugherty

Milton Gordon, ca1959 (Alexandria, La.) -

VP candidate for National Write In Party (2012)

Running mate with nominee: Jerry W. Wilson (b. 1968)
Popular vote: 0 (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Jerry W. Wilson announced his Presidential campaign thusly--

put God in control elect me president in 2012
January 17, 2011
im 42 years old bornin 1968 i am a church of god preacher and i am crippled and in a nursing home. I would like to get to know each of u. and if elected president i will do everything by the bible with much prayer and supplication. i have been a member of the now defunct america 1st party and the reform party and i know have my own party ...

Apparently based in Dayton, Tenn., Jerry Wilson's 2012 Presidential campaign website has been ravaged by time, but a few phrases still survive--

oboma talks of promises well mr oboma we the people are tired of your broken promises and lies

its time to elect a new leader and Put God Control of AMERICA

Email:orionstar@rock.com TO put an end to the evil partys running this country and Put God in control of america

NO MR OBOMA YOU ARE NOT JESUS CHRIST YOU MIGHT BE THE ANTI CHRIST

abortion-im opposed to abortion of any kind because its murder plain and simple.
if ppl dont want kids then they shouldnt have sex or they should use protection plus there is adoption
 
GUN Control-we should totally checkout any ones background to see if they have a criminal past before they are allowed to purchase guns.

economy-we should tax every step to improve our economy and be more enemy effecient.

taxes-taxes should be paid by those who can afford it most the wealthiest ppl and not the middle class or poor

Goverment spending-goverment spending should be examined to where the only ones to get help from the goverment are the disabled and elderly. not women who lay up with different men and have babys for more help. or those who are able to work and are drunks or druggies

 others not listed-legalize marijuana and make adultry illegal with up to 12 years in prison for those who commit it. put prayer back in control and let Jesus be in charge and end seperation of church and state

1 term each for congressmen and senators

retired goverment officials must draw social security no paid retirement

balance national budget by 2015 start paying off the national debt by paying 1%  toward paying off the oldest debt first in 2016

equal ballot access for all political partys and candidates

All candidates running will be included in all debates

Put prayer back in school

more security for elected goverment officials

energy-america should seek to be as energy effecient as possible

foreign affairs-america shouldnt involve itself where it doesnt belong. let other countries fight thier own wars insteads of losing millions of dollars and the lives of our military men and women

Death penalty-the death penalty should be ended instead give those who deserve it life in prison without parole

immigration policies-illegal immigrats who come here illegally should be sent back where they came from.

He had started an entity called the National Write In Party and hosted a webpage with the purpose of "THIS is the 1st party for write in candidates supporting all write in candidates in 2010 and from now on if you are a write in candidate come join the NWIP and vote for an equal and justified america and against the corrupt partys. if you are a write in candidate or wish to run in the future come join the nwip."

Wilson claimed that baseball player "tony cloninger is my 3rd cousin and woodrow wilson is my great great grandfather." Since Wilson had no sons it is difficult to figure how the surname would have been passed down.

It appears Wilson went through at least three choices before a final running-mate was settled. Although the chronology is hazy, it looks like his first VP was Amy Williams Wilson, no doubt a spouse or relative. Pastor Lisa Daugherty of the Free to Worship Revival Center in Soddy Daisy, Tenn. was announced as the VP in Feb. 2011 after being chosen in an online poll which consisted of a total of "2 votes to 1." But in a Mar. 2012 Youtube, Wilson said, "I don't have a Vice-President yet, but I soon will." Subsequent ads point to Milton Gordon becoming the final choice.

Gordon was an activist in Louisiana who ran for the US Senate two years prior as an Independent. He was active in the Republican grassroots organization CenLa GoPac. His platform could be described as classic economic conservative with a heavy dose of Christian, and he ran to the Right of David Vitter, a so-called "Family Values" Republican incumbent nicknamed "Diaper Dave" due to his alleged fetish during his confirmed consorting with prostitutes. Gordon had felt the Republicans had forgotten their traditional roots, and he eschewed the Sarah Palin populist wing of the party, which had grown in popularity since 2008. Later he did not seem all that enamored of Trump, either.

In 2012 Gordon was running for City Council in his native Alexandria, La. as well being Wilson's VP, or so it appears.

Not on any ballots nor registered as write-ins that I can find, zero votes were reported for the Wilson/Gordon ticket.

Election history:
2010 - US Senate (Louisiana) (No Party Affiliation) - defeated  
2012 - Alexandria, La. City Council (Nonpartisan) - defeated

Other occupations: founder of Americans Making A Difference, founding member of CenLa GoPac, landscaping business, manager in home improvement retail store, truck driver, preacher

Notes:
Vitter won the 2010 election.
Dayton, Tenn. was the site of the 1925 Scopes trial. It was also where my cousin Beth taught school back in the 1970s. When she asked her pupils to identify a word that started with the letter"T," one of them said cheerfully said, "'Tater!" [i.e. "potato"]

Stephen Albert McCormick

 

Stephen Albert McCormick, March 9, 1951 (Alameda County, Calif.) -

VP candidate for KIS Party (2012)

Running mate with nominee: Richard Skeen McCormick (1946-2017)
Popular vote: ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538

The campaign:

Dick McCormick of Seattle's Capitol Hill filed with the FEC on Feb. 2, 2011 under the banner of the KIS [Keep It Simple] Party which was formed in 2010. His brother Steve, a resident of Tennessee, was his running-mate. The nominating convention was held in Volunteer Park with music by the Dudley Manlove Quartet.

The fact these two nominees were brothers was not unusual in Electoral politics. 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)

Generally speaking, his platform was a balance of social liberalism, fiscal conservatism (he was a recently retired investment advisor), while at the same reducing the size and role of government. A veteran of the 1960s anti-war movement, he opposed U.S. military involvement in the Mideast. He voted for Obama in 2008 but felt the President had not done enough to end what had become a perpetual, permanent war that had been created by the Bush/Cheney administration.

McCormick was one of the lesser-known candidates who ran for the nomination of the Reform Party in 2012, but his failure to attain that goal did not prevent him from continuing to run in the KIS Party.

He enjoyed performing some light-hearted stunts in his campaign. In one such event he simulated blowing up 14 reams of paper representing the Tax Code using three sticks of dynamite. In another gimmick he had a lifesized cutout of President Lincoln at a podium providing an endorsement to the McCormick candidacy. I guess no one told him that the reincarnation of Lincoln was also running for President in 2012 as part of, and I am not kidding here, the Mythical Majestic Midgardian Party with the reincarnation of George B. McClellan as his running-mate.

There was even a campaign song, "Dickie Mac" by Joel Schwartz. In spite of the entertainment, McCormick's electioneering was essentially serious although it is difficult to ascertain if his impact on the election went beyond his Seattle neighborhood.

McCormick/McCormick were registered write-ins in Washington State, where numbers of votes for that category were not individually reported.

Election history: none

Other occupations: ?

Notes:
Washington State Trivia Alert!!!
Dick McCormick died Aug. 3, 2017.

James George Janos

 

                                                Cordell and Santa Claus in a video debate

 

James George Janos, July 15, 1951 (Minneapolis, Minn.) -

VP candidate for Independent (2012, 2016)
 
Running-mate with nominee (2012): Donald Leslie Cordell (1927-2021)
Running-mate with nominee (2012): Piotr Blass (b. 1948)
Running-mate with nominee (2016): Daniel Salvatore Muffoletto
Popular vote (2012, 2016): ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote (2012, 2016): 0/538

The campaign (2012) (Cordell)

Don Cordell, who ran for President in 2008 declaring he wanted Ron Paul as his running-mate, ran again in 2012 but this time expressed a preference for Jesse Ventura as his VP--

I want ex Governor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura as my Vice President. Together, he and I could bring Justice back to our nation. Then I’d want Glenn Beck as a Whitehouse advisor, since he has Investigated, and knows the facts about the “Treason against our nation”. This must be done, or WE lose, “the United Nation wins”.

Cordell started the 2012 quite early. On one blog he commented--

PresidentDon said...

    Just wait until our nation is turned over to the United Nations. Right now Calif takes in over $3 billion in confiscation, and laughing all the way to the bank. You had a chance last year to elect Don Cordell for President to stop this, and you didn't
    It is time to stop the cops in our nation of Tyranny. I'll restore our Bill of Rights. Without me you will get Martial Law, confiscation of all belongings for the New World Order government. If you do not believe me, google my name and then do some research. I'm telling you how it is, and what is coming.
    30 million out of work, where are the jobs? How many more each month to break our nation? Are you Patriots or Cowards? It is time to Revolt/Revote
    November 23, 2009 at 3:02 AM

Which drew the reply--

Anonymous said...

    Don - You and about 10,000 other false prophets are always telling us how it is going to be and lecturing us on what cowards we all are. You want to know what I think - you're a nobody like the rest of us. So give up your Messianic complex.
    November 23, 2009 at 7:32 AM

In 2011 Cordell left this comment on a news article--

Don Cordell • 9 years ago

You have only one choice. You see what the DemocRats and RepubliCons are doing, yet you keep electing them, WHY? I am one citizen, that can Restore not Change America, if you give me a chance. We must return Middle Class jobs and manufacturing back to America. Stop all the imports. Our leaders tell us, China buys from us, yeah, we buy $10 worth China buys $1 from us. Our nation is broke, we only have this next year to ReVote, to ReStore America, or we will surrender to the New World Order, with United Nations troops in power to force us to submit. If you think your little guns will defend America, let me tell you what you can do with those guns when the turn off all of your utilities, turn of the Radio and TV stations, close the bank the grocery and gas stations, stop all mail delivery coming and going, ban newspapers, except publications telling you how to meet government plans for your behavior. YOU will surrender when the SWAT team comes to your door, because they will kill you and your family, so others in your neighborhood see what happens if you resist. Is this the future you want for America, or a pissed off 84 year old man like me to kick ass, and clean up Washington DC? Lets do this before we are all in FEMA Camps and screwed, blued and tattooed, that serial number on your arm, on your kids arms. Do you care? I care, Just google my name and learn What I will do, for YOU.

As in 2008, Cordell's website was a claustrophobic broadside filled with "inside job" conspiracy theories and if anything was even more ramped in 2012 than before. A tiny sample--

The American Citizens are too lazy to stand up and fight anymore. Because they’ve been taught in our schools, we must GLOBALIZE. Being FREE is a SIN, FREE is not FAIR to the rest of the world people.

I am at war with Socialist Obama: To keep America: FREE
How much is America’s Freedom worth to you? I won’t STOP. Islam laws will never be enacted in America on my watch. If I‘m not elected as your next President, all of America will look like Detroit, MI in the next 20 years. All of America “DESTROYED” is this happening to your city, now or next?

*Why is the United States Bankrupt? INSIDE JOB? *Why are millions of Americans out of work? INSIDE JOB? *Why have millions lost their homes to foreclosure? INSIDE JOB? *Why? Because the United States has been sold! INSIDE JOB? *Why won’t you get up, and campaign to me get elected? *Note: Unemployment benefits running out for Millions. *Note: The major Middle class jobs: “Will not return”. Does the Mayan calendar revel the end of America in Dec 2012

When will Romney ask you, to become members of the Mormon Church?

News Flash: Christianity outlawed in America, Christian MORAL’S outlawed. Gay Pride takes over the schools, and offices of our politicians, to hasten our failure. Will you surrender our Judeo/Christian values without a fight? Are you a wimp?

Cordell's involuntary running-mate, Jesse Ventura (legal name James George Janos) was a celebrity superstar in the world of third parties, having served as the Governor of Minnesota 1999-2003, elected as a member of the Reform Party. By 2012 the former wrestler was hosting the third season of a TruTV series entitled Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura. He had increasingly drifted into the world of conspiracy theories in Century 21, including 9/11 Trutherism. Cordell made a reference and provided links to some of Ventura's televised programs--

We are being destroyed from within; we “must stop this”. If you have Cable or Satellite check the listing for the “Jesse Ventura” broadcasts, be awakened to this TREASON, then get involved to save us. If you have a weak stomach, you won’t want to watch, it will make you sick. It’s all about “Building 7", the more you understand about “Building 7” the more you will realize,

Just discovered: Jesse Ventura Video’s online. There are many items like this to educate you; it’s time to learn what is happening to our nation, by our so-called (leaders) traitors

#1, Haarp, Alaska Controversy
#2, 9/11
#3, Global Warming
#4, Big Brother
#5, Secret Societies
#6, Manchurian Candidate
#7  Apocalypse

Ventura's popularity was such that he was frequently touted as a potential third party Presidential candidate. There is little doubt that if he had indeed gone all out on such an effort his impact on the outcome of the election would have been hard to ignore.

After losing a lawsuit against the Transportation Security Administration concerning 4th Amendment violations, Ventura declared in a Nov. 2011 news conference he would never set foot in the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport again, called the USA the "Fascist States of America," and added, "I will never stand for a national anthem again ... I will turn my back and raise a fist the same way Tommy Smith and John Carlos did in the '68 Olympics, Jesse Ventura will do that today." He considered obtaining dual citizenship in Mexico.

During the 2012 Republican Presidential primaries, Ventura endorsed Ron Paul (on Alex Jones' program). He also was reported to have said, "if Ron Paul runs as an independent, I will give great consideration to being his running mate." He later endorsed Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party) for the general election. Most likely Ventura was unaware of being Cordell's selection for VP.

Ventura has the distinction of being the only member of the Reform Party ever elected Governor (1998). Remaining an independent after he left office, he liked Bernie Sanders in 2016 but his endorsement was declined [!!!], and he also let it be known he would be willing to be Trump's running-mate. There was some buzz that he might go for the Libertarian nomination. In the end he voted for Jill Stein and eventually joined the Green Party himself.

There was an effort to draft Ventura for President in 2020 and he appeared as a Green on the ballot in Alaska and was a write-in in California, under his actual legal name of Janos and with Cynthia McKinney as his VP.

Meanwhile, back to 2012-- the Cordell/Ventura ticket did not file with the FEC and failed to appear on any ballots or register as write-ins for any state, thus no election results can be reported.

The campaign (2012) (Blass)

Getting a handle on the political life of perennial candidate Piotr Blass of Boynton Beach, Fla. is not an easy task. He has been running for office in Florida since the mid-1990s. Some of his multiple campaigns have been overlapping and getting a bead on where he falls on the spectrum is problematic. Here are some descriptions from the media--

Palm Beach Post, May 25, 2013
Piotr Blass, 64, is a regular at city commission meetings, where he stands out with his stringy long hair, sandals and thick European accent. He ran for U.S. Senate in 2004, governor in 2006 and Congress in 2008, before coming in last of seven candidates in the 2010 Boynton Beach mayoral race, won by Jose Rodriguez. Blass got 24 of the 4,377 votes cast.

He regularly describes his dream of a university in Boynton Beach, as well as projects that include a turbine power-generating network just offshore.

“My idea is to run and inspire,” said Blass, who said he became a citizen in 1979 with a plan to run for office. “I’m not a very good manager, but I could be a reasonable senator.”

... In 2011 Blass was a suspect in a fraud case when a former roommate, William S. Hunter, accused him of stealing and cashing his checks in 2010 while Hunter was in the Palm Beach County Jail.

Palm Beach Post, June 23, 2015
It's not a Florida election until Boynton Beach resident Piotr Blass files as a write-in candidate. Blass has been a write-in candidate in every general election since 2004.

Miami Herald, July 12, 2015
Many candidates offer refreshingly original interpretations of the U.S. Constitution. Boynton Beach’s Piotr Blass, who has a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Michigan, was born to Polish parents in Poland, which seems to run afoul of all that stuff in Article II of the Constitution requiring a president to be a “natural born citizen” of the United States. But when the Herald reached Blass by phone last week (in, ahem, Poland), he airily insisted that the Supreme Court will be on his side when he wins. “I have been a model citizen of the United States for more than 35 years now,” he explained. “I believe the equal protection clause of the Constitution means I must be entitled to equal treatment as that accorded to a 35-year-old native-born citizen.”

Blass has maintained that he, along with Tim Berners-Lee, was a co-creator of the World Wide Web in 1988.

In 2011 Blass seemed to include a Presidential campaign among his other activities. On the topic of Vice-Presidents, he made these comments on Facebook--

Facebook
Feb. 8, 2011
Piotr Blass for President 2012--Arnold for running mate or jessee ventura

Dec. 29, 2011
Jesseee
Ventura
Running
Mate

Apparently abandoning his run for President in 2012, Blass made a write-in bid for the US Senate. By Election Day he was endorsing Green Party nominee Jill Stein for POTUS. Blass would be back in 2016, but with a new running-mate.

The campaign (2016):

Daniel Muffoletto registered as a write-in Presidential candidate in Minnesota with Jesse Ventura as his VP. Minnesota did not categorize the results of the write-in votes. According to his 2008 and 2012 campaign webpages, Muffoletto previously ran as an "Eco-Green Republican" write-in candidate. In 2006 he had lost the Republican primary for US Senate in Maryland. Muffoletto is a naturopath and also works as an agent for actors. At some point he moved from Baltimore to Hollywood. His 2016 Presidential campaign was something of an under the radar event.

Muffoletto's Facebook entries indicate he was willing to run again in 2020 with Ventura but it seems the idea remained in the concept stage and never took the form of action.

Election history:
1991-1995 - Mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Nonpartisan)
1999-2003 - Governor of Minnesota (Reform Party of the United States of America/Independence Party of Minnesota)
2020 - US President (Independent Green Party of the United States) - defeated

Other occupations: US Navy (Vietnam War), member of the Mongols motorcycle club, wrestler, bodyguard for the Rolling Stones, sports commentator, actor, author, television host

Notes:
"I wish they would pass a law where all Democrats and Republicans had to wear NASCAR racing suits, because if you look at the NASCAR drivers, it tells who their sponsors are. And if they do that, we could then become informed voters, because we would know who owns them."--Jesse Ventura