This year, an anti-Washington mood is opening doors to novice candidates from right and left who speak to the ire coursing through the electorate. The Modern Whigs, a start-up party with a venerable name, are trying to tap an even more elusive force: the angry moderate. . . .
The Modern Whig Party was the brainchild of soldiers tired of the bickering that filled chow-hall TV screens on bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of them, Capt. Mike Lebowitz, a Washington lawyer then serving with the 101st Airborne Division, emailed his buddies and began talking up the idea of a party that would be fiscally conservative, socially liberal and generally mild-mannered. . . .
The Modern Whigs got a boost in June when they absorbed the American Centrist Party, founded in 2004 as a reaction to the government’s alleged swing toward “an ultra right-wing Christian fundamentalist autocracy,” according to its website. The American Centrists come with a 16,000-address email list, although they have never elected a candidate to federal office, either.
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Thanks Jake. We’ve received a schedule from the court in our ballot access lawsuit.
It is my under standing that the Whigs are more than a little anti war ………..
If the Whip party is founded by soldiers, there stance on intervention will define them when they start to grow. Almost a decade now, if americans get tired of conflict, former soldiers and their ideas of war will decide how valid they are and how they will be accepted by the people.
Dennis,
Kansas has some candidates for congress, state legislator, senate, and some other state level position.
Rhode Island endorsed a man for lt. governor.
Alex Hammer in Maine is Reform Party backed but I do not know if he is still on the ballot. Very interesting law suit up there.
Also, Wiscosin has an independent backed by the RP.
All in all not a bad start.
And also Raymond;
I know the NJ Reform Party sends press releases to IPR frequently, albeit, I have only seen one or two published on the site.
Here is an interview I recently conducted you may find interesting:
http://www.ahherald.com/index.php/Third-Party-Voices/frankie-goes-to-washington.html
@ 7,
Yup, the Reform Party is running candidates.
The five for US House in Mississippi.
The two senate candidates.
A gubernatorial candidate in Kansas.
And another Congressional candidate, Mark Quick, in New Jersey.
On the national level the RPUSA is a shell of its former self. However, with all the lawsuits over etc. we are starting to see individual states (NJ, NY, PA, and a few more) organize SPOs again.
The goal is to have more candidates in 2012, and a viable presidential candidate.
“As far as I can find, the Whig Party (whether the Florida Whig Party, or the Modern Whig Party) ” *personal experience* can not even get around to forwarding pre paid postal, totally filled out, signed voter registration form[s] …………….
Thanks for the info!
I still am reluctant to criticize the Whigs because their logic is sound in devoting all energy toward one or two independent members rather than being overtaxed with many candidates and stretched too thin on ballot access obtainment. And if the independent can pull it off, that would be amazing regardless of the lable, or lack thereof. These guys are a bit different from the mold, but they’ve stuck around longer than I thought they would.
As far as I can find, the Whig Party (whether the Florida Whig Party, or the Modern Whig Party) only has three congressional candidates on ballots this year: two in Florida (but only one has the “Whig” label; the other is “Non partisan”)and one in Virginia, with the “Independent” label.
By contrast, the Reform Party has two for US Senate and five for US House, all with the “Reform” label.
@6
Wonderful to see the Independent Green Party attacking and attempting to undercut a candidate who they themselves endorsed. Stay classy Independent Green Party.
@Dennis
What is the status of the Reform Party during this election cycle? They had a good run but seems like they fell off the Earth. Interested to see if a comeback is in the works.
Whigs are fake.
Great more Murdock propoganda.
Want moderate, centrist – go Green Party
@1, that actually is a common problem for parties like this. Lincoln Chafee decided not to run with the Moderate Party for Governor because he thought their name was “too squishy” and didn’t stand for much.
Having been lied to, cheated on (court case any one, yes, John Blare and Valle Sharpe Giesler or whom ever is behind that jiggling curtain as my sweat heart continuously rings the door bell) and sabotaged by west coast and national reformers, I wish Dennis all the good luck in the world ——- he’ll need it!
Reform Party? Don, oh Don… Don Lake…where are you?
Moderates should join the REFORM PARTY.
‘Nuff said
End discussion.
Somehow I just cannot get excited enough to man the barricades in the name of being extremely moderate. Maybe its the sominex…