The Reform Party only had six candidates for U.S. House, but they polled 51,877 votes. The total was boosted by the showing of the party’s nominee in Colorado’s 4th district, Eric Eidsness. He polled 11.33%, the best showing for any U.S. House nominee of a nationally-organized party, in a race with both a Democrat and a Republican. Eidsness was helped by the fact that so many Republicans dislike incumbent Marilyn Musgrave. However, she was re-elected, although she polled less than 50% of the vote.
The Socialist Workers Party only had three candidates for the U.S. House on ballots, but they polled 16,809. This is the highest SWP total for U.S. House since 1998. The Socialist Workers Party is the only nationally-organized minor party that polled more votes for U.S. House in 2006 than it had in 2004. Even the Democratic Party polled fewer votes in 2006 than in 2004 (despite its greater number of victories), because turnout in 2006 was only about two-thirds of 2004 turnout.
The only other nationally-organized minor party with U.S. House candidates this year, not mentioned so far during posts of the last two days, is the Socialist Equality Party. It had one candidate, who polled 1,863 votes.
That shows good work on the part of the Reform Party of Colorado and the Socialist Workers Party.
It remains all too true, however, that the Reform Party of the United States is moving quickly on down the road of division and never-ending squabbling that has defined the socialst movement in this country for decades now and has resulted in such organizations as the Socialist Workers Party (now a shell of its former glorious self); the Communist Party USA and the Democratic Socialists of America (both now almost front groups for the Democratic Party – what irony there!), and the tiny Socialist Party USA (of which I belong to but do not see it growing unless it makes some changes).
Let those of us in the third party movement not let the two major parties continue to defeat us (partly) through our own inability to get our acts together. Fortunately, though, the Green Party of the United States (of which I also belong) does seem to be making some good progress. In addition, that is where where the action is going to be in 2008!
Member: CUIP; GPUS; SPUSA, Unity08
Eric Eidsness also had five local daily papers endorse his candidacy, including the home town of BOTH of his brand name rivals. Also some pro democracy lawyer in the California Bay Area caught the story on his nationally recognized web page.