Yesterday, the Natural Law Party of Michigan, the last remaining ballot qualified entity of the now-defunct national Natural Law Party, officially nominated businessman Rocky De La Fuente for president and historian Darcy Richardson for vice president, Ballot Access News reports. The Alliance Party, for which De La Fuente/Richardson is the 2020 ticket, previously announced an agreement to use the ballot line of the Natural Law Party of Michigan. Through the Alliance Party, Reform Party, American Delta Party, and now the Natural Law Party, the De La Fuente/Richardson ticket has attained ballot access in South Carolina, Florida, Delaware, Michigan, and possibly Connecticut.
The nomination of De La Fuente is somewhat surprising for the Natural Law Party of Michigan, which often gives its ballot access to left wing candidates. In 2016 it nominated the Socialist Party USA ticket headed by Mimi Soltysik. In 2012 it nominated former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson of the Justice Party. In 2008, it nominated consumer advocate Ralph Nader. In 2004, it nominated Socialist Party USA nominee Walt Brown. John Hagelin, the American leader of the Transcendental Meditation movement, which founded the international Natural Law Party based on the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, was the party’s presidential nominee in 1992, 1996, and 2000.
Although the national Natural Law Party disbanded in 2004, the Natural Law Party of Michigan has been able to retain ballot access through the years since Michigan law makes it less burdensome for already qualified parties to qualify than parties that have not qualified. Attorney Doug Dern is chairman of the party and has kept it active and qualified through his runs for statewide offices. In 2018, he ran as the party’s nominee for Michigan Supreme Court and received 3.3 percent of the vote.
