The national Green Party hopes to win up to four state house seats this year. In Arkansas, Richard Carroll is favored to win. In Minnesota, Farheen Hakeem is well-known in her district in Minneapolis and formerly polled 14% for Mayor (in 2005) and 33% for County Commissioner (in 2006).
In Arizona, Kent Solberg, running in Tucson, has qualified for public funding and has been endorsed by Tucson’s biggest daily newspaper, the Arizona Daily Star.
In Illinois, Ante Marijean has been endorsed by both the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune.
Richard Carroll, to the uninitiated, is the only name on the ballot. Looks good, looks good.
Hope he can draw from the ‘radical’ middle. Apparently Independent [also on the ballot] Cindy Sheehan of the California Bay Area has no concern in that direction. She proudly and early list non California groups like the Green Party Of Washington State on her site, while rebuffing more centrist groups like the Reform Party of California. Ah, reminds me of Democrat in Independent’s Clothing, San Diego Council Member Donna Frye and her three runs at mayor.
In 2004 and 2005 Ms ‘Surfer Girl’ Frye gave no reflection or respect to any one but Democrats and Labor Unions. She got the most votes twice, yet lost thrice.
Hey Cindy, looks [your toned down non goofy drug addict sober face is MARKEDLY better than previously!], name recognition, foriegn trips [that ‘worldly’ allure?], pounding the pavement, and friendly media are important, but smarts, book or street, are paramount!
It is your’s to lose! Pelosi’s new reputation as a Duopoly shill is important, but [Governor ‘Gray’ Davis, Congress Member and Federal Felon Inmate ‘Puke’ Cunningham] it sure would be nice to see the Agent Provacatuer gone!
Life is scary, but if YOU are self sabotaging your chances due to a death wish, survivor’s guilt, or fear of success, then you just have not been fair to your supporters.
Good luck in the murkie muddie middle, Citizens For A Better Veterans Home, Donald Raymond Lake, and the Reform Party of California tried to help!
Great news for the Green Party.
No likely possibilities in Maine, then?
Good for them if they do, though. With those four plus an increased Progressive caucus in Vermont (which looks likely), would 2008 be a record year for third party candidates elected to state legislatures?
The Working Families Party also has one member elected to the New York state legislature and I’ve heard they might get another this year too. The one currently elected is an actual WFP member and not just a Democrat/Republican that they endorsed via fusion.
If true, this is a great thing. I think this is how political parties get built; more so than presidential campaigns, per se.
Actually there are some really great prospects for state legislature in Maine. Look to Portland, particularly Dan Jenkins. http://www.jenkinsforportland.com/
We have several legislative candidates just here in Illinois who we feel have legitimate chances at winning. I think there were several other races which could have been spotlighted, and I definitely would not limit our potential to “up to four”.
I’m realistic enough to not assume we’re going to win 12 races or anything like that, but this year is the first time where I’ve seen multiple candidates in multiple races cross the line from having no realistic shot at winning to having a slim yet real chance. Legislative races are where the Green Party and other parties have excellent chances at making impactful inroads and I wish there was broader recognition of this within the party.
Were the tickets in question 11 rotated? Bias to the first and last response in every list…
In Maine, Dan Jenkins in 119 and Michael Hiltz in 115 are looking like strong candidates for state leg.
If you’re interesting in seeing breaking results from Green races around the country on election night, go here:
http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1488/t/338/signUp.jsp?key=2052
Small typo: the last name of Green Illinois State Rep candidate is “Marijan” (no ‘e’).