On November 4, the Libertarian Party won one partisan election, for County Attorney of Anderson County, Kansas. Frederick Campbell was re-elected with no opponent.
Libertarian Party members won at least 16 non-partisan elections, in Arizona, California, Florida, Maine, and North Carolina. A list is on the party’s webpage, www.lp.org. The winners aren’t separated out in the very long list of the party’s candidates.
In addition to the Green Party’s winning a seat in the Arkansas legislature, two Green Party candidates won partisan elections: Art Goodtimes was re-elected to the San Miguel County Commission in Colorado; and Korine Bachleda was re-elected Newberg Township Clerk, Cass County, Michigan. In non-partisan elections, Green Party members members won at least fourteen races, in California, Oregon, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. They are listed below in comment #2 (thanks!).
The Working Families Party elected a Registrar of Voters in Hartford, Connecticut, which is a partisan election.
An independent candidate was elected to the Washington, D.C., city council, in a partisan election.
Wins for the Green Party, what we know so far:
Arkansas
Richard Carroll was elected to Arkansas State Legislature, District 34.
California
Bruce Delgado was elected to Mayor of Marina City, Monterey County, CA (pop. 25,000)
Ross Mirkarimi was re-elected to San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 5 (the old Harvey Milk seat), CA.
John Selawsky was elected to Berkeley School Board, Alameda County, CA.
Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap was re-elected to Humboldt Water Board District 1, CA.
Jesse Townley was elected to Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board, Alameda County, CA.
Colorado
Art Goodtimes was re-elected to San Miguel County Commissioner District 3, CO.
District of Columbia
Philip Blair, Jr was elected to Advisory Neighborhood Commission SMD 5A10, DC.
Dave Bosserman was re-elected to Advisory Neighborhood Commission SMD 1D05, DC.
Nancy Shia was re-elected to Advisory Neighborhood Commission SMD 1C06, DC.
Carolyn Steptoe was elected to Advisory Neighborhood Commission SMD 5A07, DC.
Rick Tingling-Clemmons was re-elected to Advisory Neighborhood Commission SMD 7D05, DC.
Bryan Weaver was re-elected to Advisory Neighborhood Commission SMD 1C03, DC.
Chris Otten was elected to Advisory Neighborhood Commission SMD 1C02, DC.
Florida
Cara Jennings was her re-elected to Lake Worth Commissioner, Palm Beach, Fl.
Michigan
Korine Bachleda was re-elected to Newberg Township Clerk, Cass County, MI.
Oregon
Michael Beilstein was re-elected to Corvallis City Council, Ward 5, OR.
South Carolina
Eugene Platt was re-elected to James Island Public Service District, Charleston County, SC.
# # # #
http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2008/11/libertarians-elected-and-re-elected-to-office/
For the once-proud Green Party in CA, that was a horribly pathetic result.
And have you guys really looked into Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, who originated the idea of installing anti-homeless water cannons around the municipal water district building? Which key value does that fit under, Social Justice, Ecological Wisdom or perhaps Respect for Diversity?
– an ex-Green
Is there any list of third party candidates who ran for RE-election and lost?
I know some progressives in VT lost in the state legislature, but other than that I am not sure.
On second thought, it was worse than pathetic. The Green Party of California actually lost ground this year. A lot of ground.
Their press release claims five wins, but it’s more than a little misleading. Three of these were incumbents getting re-elected. The two gained seats were offset by the loss of Mark Sanchez from the Board of Education (he finished a respectable 2nd place in a Supervisor race), not to mention:
– the two Greens on the Arcata City Council retiring with no Greens to replace them
– the Mayor of Moraga leaving with no Green replacement
– the two of three Greens on the Sebastopol City Council retiring with no Greens to replace them
So really it’s a net loss of at least five for the Green Party in California.
– an ex-Green
One thing that’s hurting the Green Party is the big
decline in party registration over the past 4 years.
For whatever combination of reasons people are not
as enthusiastic as in previous years which makes it
more difficult to recruit new candidates. When some
one retires from a non-partisan office people aren’t
necessarily looking to put another person from the
same party in that elected post.
The GPCA has undermined its own base and betrayed their will in two consecutive presidential primaries. That’s why I left, that’s why friends of mine locally and allies of mine across the state have left. And that’s why more and more will continue to leave.
Congratulations David Cobb and Mike Feinstein, you’ve ruined the California Green Party.
– an ex-Green
James Nicita won against an incumbent in Oregon City, OR. Oregon City Commissioner.
I am certainly not perfect in reading the ‘tea leaves’, if you will of inter-party squabbling but from what I have been able to gather is that both the Green and Libertarian parties are probably going to make some major changes or dissolve into interest groups.
The buzz among Greens seem to be a deep-seated divide over those who — in 2004 — supported Ralph Nader and those who supported Cobb. Cobb was seen as running a campaign that only really made an effort where it could not hurt Democrats.
Nader and the Democrats would get into some high profile lawsuits — particularly over ballot access — which some Greens saw as being rightfully assertive, while others wanted a more coalition relationship with the Democrats.
Among Libertarians it would seem that a effort was made to produce a much shorter party platform, that leaves — in some peoples minds — too much dissent/wiggle room for possible LP members and or candidates
Some Libertarians tell me what the State’s Rights Paleo-Conservatives are taking over the party, at the expense of the LP’s views on personal freedom/civil liberties.
Their is a lot of, from what I have heard, grumbling about Ron Paul, Bob Barr and how the LP should deal with the CP.
Personally, I would, probably, respected Nader more if he had ran in the Democrat or Republican presidential primary, if they tried to stop him it would help his electoral reform cause, and then went on as an independent.
He could have used the primary (especially the debates) to bring more attention to electoral reform issues, and raised money ala Ron Paul.
I can understand the Cobb Greens notion of trying to work with, as opposed to against the Democrats, but it should be tied to some interest on the part of Democrats in electoral reforms. Coalition work can be great, even the responsible path, but it cannot all be one-sided.
Ron Paul, I suspect, was really only involved for ego-
publicity and fundraising. He endorsed the CP candidate out of spite — true Bar should have shown up — and because he is really more of a State’s rights Paleo-Conservative then a Libertarian.
Well tea leaves aren’t necessary to see where the progressive/populist voters are going. Two elections in a row have seen the Greens collapse 95% of their national support with barely any increase by McKinney four years later. For McKinney to have lost to Alan Keyes in California is an embarrassment without parallel.
Nader recovered in this election back to the single digit range (and well beyond the 0.18% going to McKinney at present).
The At-Large DC City Council seat was won by the son of Ron Brown the late Secretary of Commerce. He is an Independent in name only.
I would agree, to some extent. Ralph Nader ran a much more organized and assertive presidential campaign in both 2004 and 2008, then compared to the respective Green party nominee.
To be fair, McKinney was probably doing something similar to Ron Paul and Bob Barr — i.e. little interest in building up a non-major party movement and more interest in raising money and building up their own ego and superficial image as a ‘independent’.
Also, the bitter divisions within the Green Party (over Ralph Nader and the relationship to the Democrats) or the Libertarian party (with the Paleo conservatives and the GOP), for that matter, tend to turn a lot of people off who expect a third party to, somehow, be beyond all of that.
Also, the past eight years of the Bush Administration probably made a lot of passionate populist/progressives voters more willing to ‘settle’ for an ‘imperfect’ Democrat, or Democratic Party, then the ‘wasted’ Green vote.
Likewise, I witnessed a bitter divide among Libertarians this past election.
Some were very passionate supporters of Ron Paul, even beyond the primary, and others were very much supporters of Bob Bar and others were equally critical of both candidates.
I suspect, unless something is done both minor parties will probably decline.
Sorry a little off topic, but this has something to do with the Libertarian Party growing. I have received an increase in people interested in the LP since May and that trend continues. Here is something for those in the WV Eastern Panhandle:
For everyone interested in the Libertarian Party. The inaugural meeting of the Libertarian Party of Jefferson Co WV will be held at GloryDays Grill, 190 Oak Lee Dr. Ranson, WV. 25438 on November 15th at 7:00pm. Guest to include Bill Redpath Chairman of the National Libertarian Party and Dr. James Lark Regional Director of the Libertarian Party. Look for Gordon with the Greenbay Packers shirt on. Please help spread the word. I hope to see you there.
Bill
While the Greens have collapsed in California there has been growth in other areas of the country. The addition of the Mountain Party of West Virginia as an affiliate in 2007 gave the party a West Virginia affiliate were one had been lacking (not to mention Jesse Johnson who doubled the ’08 vote for Governor compared to ’04). The Illinois and Arkansas parties have greatly increased viability (unfortunately that has not translated into many electoral victories). The Maine Independent Greens also have been a bright spot while they didn’t win any elections on Nov 4 the party has continually increased registration for years and in 2006 elected two Greens to the non-partisan Portland City Council adding a third in 2007. So while the party has been in a decline in California and some other parts of the country, there are still some rays of hope. As for 2008 I’m sure many uneducated voters (especially those who felt they were experts but couldn’t tell you who was running for state rep.) were swept up by Obamamania and in many cases just voted for the candidate with a (D) next to there name