Third Party Mega Thread

[ChairmanSanchez]

This thread will be a great place to track and discuss the minor candidates for the Presidency. Here are some good sources for third party news and developments.
Independent Political Report
Ballot Access News
A more detailed list.
America's Party
Presidential Nominee: Tom Hoefling
Vice Presidential Nominee: J.D. Ellis
Website
America's Party was formed last time around by Alan Keyes, who made earlier failed attempts for the Republican Party, and later, the Constitution Party, before forming his own party. Keyes is very similar to Rick Santorum on social issues, and foreign policy, and so is the Hoefling/Ellis ticket. Tom Hoefling also won the nominations of the last remaining chapter of George Wallace's American Independence Party, which is somewhat of a force in California. He is also the Independent American Party (a now rogue affiliate of the Constitution Party) nominee, which is active in Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada. America's Party will be on the ballot in Florida, and Colorado, and through the American Independence Party, will have ballot access in California.
American Third Position Party
Presidential Nominee: Merlin Miller
Vice Presidential Nominee: Virginia Abernethy
Website
The American Third Position Party is a white nationalist political party that advocates protectionism, a non interventionist foreign policy, and pro worker (while still capitalist) economics. The party ran a candidate for Governor of West Virginia last time around, but only won 0.4% of the vote. The ticket for the Presidency is filmmaker Merlin Miller, and Professor Virginia Abernethy. The party made some news earlier this year when it was alleged that the party had some high level contacts within the Ron Paul presidential campaign. The party has ballot access in New Jersey, and Colorado.
Constitution Party
Presidential Nominee: Virgil Goode
Vice Presidential Nominee: Jim Clymer
Website
Founded by Howard Phillips as the Taxpayers in the early 1990's as a vehicle for a Pat Buchanan third party bid, the Constitution is the principle rightwing third party in American politics. The party has suffered from internal turmoil in recent years, with various factions trying to takeover. The Nevada satellite split off and joined Alan Keyes's party due to a very minor difference over Abortion. The Goode campaign has been criticized as being in "disarray", and will likely not have an impact outside of Virginia. Goode is on the ballot in Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. He is an official write-in candidate in
Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia.
Freedom Socialist Party
Presidential Nominee: Stephen Durham
Vice Presidential Nominee:  Christina Lopez
Website
The Freedom Socialist Party is a byproduct of the 1960's. It advocates revolutionary socialism and feminism. It has failed to get any attention at all, besides a scathing condemnation of the Peace and Freedom Party’s nomination of Roseanne Barr. The Party has ballot access in...nowhere. They are running as write-in candidates.
Green Party
Presidential Nominee: Jill Stein
Vice Presidential Nominee: Cheri Honkala

The Green Party is the second largest third party, and fourth biggest party in general. The party has had a good amount of success. They have a few elected officials here and there (including a city councilar in the town next to me), and in 2000, broke 1% of the vote, and according to some, gave Bush the election. The Party has nominated some big names-Ralph Nader and Cynthia McKinney among others, and has a good deal of grassroots support among those in the Occupy movement. The Party faces competition from the Socialist Party, the Peace and Freedom Party, and the Justice Party as the "main" leftwing third party. The Greens have ballot access in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, DC, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. They have write-in status in Connecticut, Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, and South Dakota.
Justice Party
Presidential Nominee: Rocky Anderson
Vice Presidential Nominee: Luis J. Rodriguez
Website
The Justice Party was formed by former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson. Anderson is running as a Progressive, and has had some success with ballot access. The Party has the endorsement of Ralph Nader, and may turn out to be one of the more successful left wing minor parties this time around. The party has ballot access in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington. They have official write-in status in Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Libertarian Party
Presidential Nominee: Gary Johnson
Vice Presidential Nominee: Jim Gray
Website
The Libertarian Party is by far the largest third party in the United States. The party has boomed during its 40 year existence, and has broken 1% in 1980, and came close again in 1988. Notable nominees include Ed Clark, Ron Paul, Harry Browne, and Bob Barr. This year, they have former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson as their candidate. The Johnson campaign is expected to at least break 2-3% nationwide. Johnson has ballot access in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Peace and Freedom Party
Presidential Nominee: Roseanne Barr
Vice Presidential Nominee: Cindy Sheehan
Website
The Peace and Freedom Party has for years been confined to California. Actress Roseanne Barr and famed anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan are the parties presidential ticket. With Roseanne's semi serious candidacy breathing new life into the party, it may expand. It has made it on the ballot in California, and Colorado.
Prohibition Party
Presidential Nominee: Jack Fellure
Vice Presidential Nominee: Toby Davis
Website
The Prohibition is the oldest third party. It's glory days are long gone. The party has faced internal turmoil as of late; the Prohibition Party experienced a schism in 2003, as the party's prior presidential candidate, Earl Dodge, incorporated a rival party called the National Prohibition Party in Colorado. Dodge held a rival nominating convention in his living room in August 2003, attended by eight people, and was nominated as the president of this rival party. This year, they are only on the ballot in...nope. Not on the ballot. Not in a single state.
Reform Party
Presidential Nominee: Andre Barnett
Vice Presidential Nominee: Ken Cross
Website
The Reform Party has been in decline during the last 12 years. Ross Perots candidacy in 1992 was not matched by his later 1996 campaign. Pat Buchanan and the Natural Law folks battled for control in 2000, and tore the party apart. They endorsed Nader in 2004, and nominated Ted Weill, who died just after the election in 2008. This year, they nominated Andre Barnett Simfan. They have ballot access in Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Socialist Party
Presidential Nominee: Stewart Alexander
Vice Presidential Nominee: Alejandro Mendoza
Website
This could be a good year for the Socialists. But, with heavy competition from the Greens, Roseanne, and Anderson, they will likely be pushed downwards to eight place. They have ballot access only in Colorado and Ohio. They are write-in candidates in Indiana.
So..thoughts on the third party candidates?

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

One only needs to take a look at the third parties we have to realize that two parties is enough.

[LINCOLN REPUBLICAN]

Is there an actual Communist Party or Marxist Leninist Party running?

[Comrade Shmoo]

Is there an actual Communist Party or Marxist Leninist Party running?

There is a Communist Party, but I don't know who they're running.

[Fritz]

Here's another website that lists all the candidates: http://politics1.com/p2012.htm

I compared your list to theirs.  They are missing the Freedom Socialist Party, which you listed.  Your list is missing:

Grassroots Party (Jim Carlson/George McMahon)(no website, I don't think they are on ballot)

Objectivist Party (Tom Stevens/Alden Link) http://www.objectivistparty.us/

Party of Socialism and Liberation (Peta Lindsay/Yari Osorio) http://www.pslweb.org/votepsl/2012/

Reform Party of Kansas (Chuck Baldwin/Joseph Martin) http://chuckbaldwinlive.com/home/

Socialist Equality Party (Jerome White/Phyllis Scherrer) http://socialequality.com/

Socialist Workers Party (James Harris/Maura DeLuca) http://www.themilitant.com/index.shtml

And there are a bunch more independents listed there.

[ChairmanSanchez]

Here's another website that lists all the candidates: http://politics1.com/p2012.htm

I compared your list to theirs.  They are missing the Freedom Socialist Party, which you listed.  Your list is missing:

Grassroots Party (Jim Carlson/George McMahon)(no website, I don't think they are on ballot)

Objectivist Party (Tom Stevens/Alden Link) http://www.objectivistparty.us/

Party of Socialism and Liberation (Peta Lindsay/Yari Osorio) http://www.pslweb.org/votepsl/2012/

Reform Party of Kansas (Chuck Baldwin/Joseph Martin) http://chuckbaldwinlive.com/home/

Socialist Equality Party (Jerome White/Phyllis Scherrer) http://socialequality.com/

Socialist Workers Party (James Harris/Maura DeLuca) http://www.themilitant.com/index.shtml

And there are a bunch more independents listed there.

I meant to include the SWP, Party of Socialism and Liberation, and Objectivists. Is the Grassroots Party outside of Minnesota at all?

Is there an actual Communist Party or Marxist Leninist Party running?

There is a Communist Party, but I don't know who they're running.

No hackishness intended, but I think they endorsed Obama this time around. That is what their website said about a year ago at least.

[Kushahontas]

Is there an actual Communist Party or Marxist Leninist Party running?

The actual Communist Party USA doesn't run candidates anymore, and just endorses the Dem. They did for Obama in 2008, and did so again for his re-election.

[The Mikado]

The CPUSA hasn't run a presidential candidate since 1980, IIRC.  The CPUSA is basically a defunct organization, though.  Most of the US' "revolutionary communists" are part of outfits like the Workers' World Party or the Party for Socialism and Liberation.  As far as I can tell, Workers' World isn't running a candidate, and the PSL is running a candidate but he's 28 and constitutionally ineligible to run for President so he didn't get ballot access anywhere.

[Big Wiggly Style]

Objectivist Party

Christ

[True Federalist]

Objectivist Party

Christ

Nope.  Rand was an athiest.  And objectivism is definitely opposed to the major tenet of Christianity concerning how one should act in accord to other humans.  It is not possible to be an objectivist Christian.  It would be like being a capitalist communist.

[Third Party]

The CPUSA hasn't run a presidential candidate since 1980, IIRC. 

Gus Hall ran in 1984.

the PSL is running a candidate but he's 28 and constitutionally ineligible to run for President so he didn't get ballot access anywhere.

Actually, the PSL is already on the ballot in eight states (says seven in this link, but the PSL just got on in Iowa today). Some states require a stand-in presidential candidate if someone does not meet the "Constitutional requirements", so Gloria La Riva, the PSL's 2008 presidential candidate will appear on the ballot in those states. Keep in mind that when we vote in US presidential elections, we are voting for a slate of Electoral College voters not an actual presidential candidate, so Constitutional eligibility should not matter for who is printed on the ballot.

[asexual trans victimologist]

Objectivist Party

Christ

Nope.  Rand was an athiest.  And objectivism is definitely opposed to the major tenet of Christianity concerning how one should act in accord to other humans.  It is not possible to be an objectivist Christian.  It would be like being a capitalist communist.

It's technically possible to be a Marxist capitalist, if you accept the Marxian critique but simply don't care about it, but that usually indicates that one is an exceedingly hypocritical and cynical HP.

[Free Palestine]

Fun fact: a lot of the CPUSA members are pretty much just Democrats.  The premier revolutionary organization in the U.S. would probably be the PSL.

[Comrade Funk]

Fun fact: a lot of the CPUSA members are pretty much just Democrats.  The premier revolutionary organization in the U.S. would probably be the PSL.

At least you could take the CPUSA seriously in its prime (1919-1948) when they actually nominated eligible candidates, unlike the PSL. They are an embarassment.

[Free Palestine]

Fun fact: a lot of the CPUSA members are pretty much just Democrats.  The premier revolutionary organization in the U.S. would probably be the PSL.

At least you could take the CPUSA seriously in its prime (1919-1948) when they actually nominated eligible candidates, unlike the PSL. They are an embarassment.

Their point isn't to get elected.  They're the sort of revolutionaries who reject participation in bourgeois politics.  They seem to mostly just run candidates as a tool to raise awareness.

[ChairmanSanchez]

Fun fact: a lot of the CPUSA members are pretty much just Democrats.  The premier revolutionary organization in the U.S. would probably be the PSL.

At least you could take the CPUSA seriously in its prime (1919-1948) when they actually nominated eligible candidates, unlike the PSL. They are an embarassment.

Their point isn't to get elected.  They're the sort of revolutionaries who reject participation in bourgeois politics.  They seem to mostly just run candidates as a tool to raise awareness.

They get 3 new people interested per election

[Free Palestine]

Fun fact: a lot of the CPUSA members are pretty much just Democrats.  The premier revolutionary organization in the U.S. would probably be the PSL.

At least you could take the CPUSA seriously in its prime (1919-1948) when they actually nominated eligible candidates, unlike the PSL. They are an embarassment.

Their point isn't to get elected.  They're the sort of revolutionaries who reject participation in bourgeois politics.  They seem to mostly just run candidates as a tool to raise awareness.

They get 3 new people interested per election

Yeah, personally I don't see how what they're doing is supposed to work -- a fluff campaign for president that doesn't even have eligible candidates.

But I do think the PSL is neat.  The CPUSA has a cool site, but as I've already said they're not all that revolutionary anymore.

[Chareth Cutestory]

Who cares about third parties? It's not like they have any chance whatsoever of impacting the race. $$$$$ and lots of it is on the wrong side of them mattering on any level.

[Free Palestine]

Who cares about third parties? It's not like they have any chance whatsoever of impacting the race. $$$$$ and lots of it is on the wrong side of them mattering on any level.

I don't exactly believe in liberal democracy, but I believe I speak for some when I say that some people have a different philosophy of who deserves their vote.

[Zioneer]

I'm a bit frustrated with Rocky Anderson, since I think he could have done a lot more good teaming up with the Green Party, rather than splitting the leftist alternative vote with his useless Justice Party.

The Justice Party is also running congressional (both Senate and Congress), gubernatorial, and I think local legislature candidates in Utah as well, which could be interesting, though Torrin Nelson, my own Congressional district's Justice Party alternative to Jim Matheson/Mia Love, seems to just be a bog-standard Paulite with a sprinkling of other things (like being pro-environment and pro-tariff). I suppose the fact that he's a veteran that wants out of all current wars gives him enough credibility with Rocky Anderson though.

[Chareth Cutestory]

Who cares about third parties? It's not like they have any chance whatsoever of impacting the race. $$$$$ and lots of it is on the wrong side of them mattering on any level.

I don't exactly believe in liberal democracy, but I believe I speak for some when I say that some people have a different philosophy of who deserves their vote.

No, I totally get that. But at the same time, screw it. Third parties are realistically completely pointless and major parties are for soulless twats, so to each his own I guess. I don't blame anyone for voting third party, but I do question their motivation.

[Free Palestine]

Who cares about third parties? It's not like they have any chance whatsoever of impacting the race. $$$$$ and lots of it is on the wrong side of them mattering on any level.

I don't exactly believe in liberal democracy, but I believe I speak for some when I say that some people have a different philosophy of who deserves their vote.

No, I totally get that. But at the same time, screw it. Third parties are realistically completely pointless and major parties are for soulless twats, so to each his own I guess. I don't blame anyone for voting third party, but I do question their motivation.

Well, minor parties do oftentimes get their members elected to local office.  So they're not entirely useless.

[renegadedemocrat]

Most third party voters want to start a trend or a movement; I doubt very many expect their candidates to get elected for any office. Although it happens occasionally, as we've seen a Reform Party governor and we currently have an Independent governor, it is unlikely for a third party candidate to be elected president. But don't be surprised if it happens within 50 years or so. As much as I'm not a fan of it, the Libertarian movement is rapidly growing. And in all reality, so is the Green Party.

[ChairmanSanchez]

I'm a bit frustrated with Rocky Anderson, since I think he could have done a lot more good teaming up with the Green Party, rather than splitting the leftist alternative vote with his useless Justice Party.

The Justice Party is also running congressional (both Senate and Congress), gubernatorial, and I think local legislature candidates in Utah as well, which could be interesting, though Torrin Nelson, my own Congressional district's Justice Party alternative to Jim Matheson/Mia Love, seems to just be a bog-standard Paulite with a sprinkling of other things (like being pro-environment and pro-tariff). I suppose the fact that he's a veteran that wants out of all current wars gives him enough credibility with Rocky Anderson though.

Anderson would have been a great Green Party nominee. Anderson/Sheehan would be a very good ticket for them.

[Zioneer]

I'm a bit frustrated with Rocky Anderson, since I think he could have done a lot more good teaming up with the Green Party, rather than splitting the leftist alternative vote with his useless Justice Party.

The Justice Party is also running congressional (both Senate and Congress), gubernatorial, and I think local legislature candidates in Utah as well, which could be interesting, though Torrin Nelson, my own Congressional district's Justice Party alternative to Jim Matheson/Mia Love, seems to just be a bog-standard Paulite with a sprinkling of other things (like being pro-environment and pro-tariff). I suppose the fact that he's a veteran that wants out of all current wars gives him enough credibility with Rocky Anderson though.

Anderson would have been a great Green Party nominee. Anderson/Sheehan would be a very good ticket for them.

I know, which makes it so frustrating that he decided to gallivant off and form his own party. There's no question that he's well-organized (his success with putting candidates of his less-than-a-year-old party on the ballot can attest to that), but he could've used that organizational skill to greatly expand the Green Party.