The Reform Party national convention is proceeding in Bohemia, New York on July 30. Declared candidates for the party’s presidential nomination are addressing the meeting. They are Ken Cross, Rocky De La Fuente, Lynn Kahn (all appearing in person) and Darcy Richardson (by phone).
I thought Darcy Richardson was going to be a serious candidate for the nomination, but if he and his VP can’t make the effort to actually attend the convention in person and have zero plans for ballot access, it falls in the category of non-serious candidates.
Actually it’s not about “effort.” I was asked to seek the VP nomination a week ago, and Darcy not long before that. That’s pretty late to plan a trip to New York. Darcy was working on making the trip but has a family medical matter requiring his attention and that took precedence.
Darcy is running because he was asked to help the Reform Party out of a jam (at the time he was asked, it was not obvious that anyone else was actually willing to accept, let alone actively seeking, the Reform Party’s nomination). I’m running because Darcy asked me to be his running mate.
Neither of us will be heartbroken if we’re not nominated. We’ll just wish the Reform Party good luck in November and go on with our lives, having spent a little bit of time and a little bit of money on the matter.
As far as ballot access is concerned, I’m not sure why you are under the impression that we have “zero plans.” The Reform Party has ballot lines in New York and Florida (we’re already looking for electors in those states). We anticipate possible ballot access in Louisiana. There may be opportunities in other states, either as balloted candidates or as write-ins duly registered with the election authority.
If we are nominated, I expect that our campaign will focus on Florida, and especially on two pairs of counties where Ross Perot did well in 1992. But there would be swings through New York and any other states where we appear on the ballot, and we’d do our best to procure coverage in both traditional and alternative media, and to buy advertising commensurate with the funds we’re able to raise.
Will the New York State Reform Party place this candidate on the ballot? They usually support Republicans.
The NY Reform chairman got elected national chairman, so I assume yes.
Richard- Any word on who the front-runner is?
I am not trying to be a jerk, but if candidates cannot make arrangements to travel to New York to the convention, it raises questions about the viability of the campaign. Going to a party’s convention is generally part of the process of running for President.
I think the Reform Party needs to change its name. Reform what? Reform it how? The name of the party indicates nothing about what the party wishes to accomplish.
the write-in deadlines in a few states is approaching
“I am not trying to be a jerk, but if candidates cannot make arrangements to travel to New York to the convention, it raises questions about the viability of the campaign.” — Michigan Voter
You have no idea of the excruciatingly difficult issues involved in my inability to travel to Long Island this weekend — and I would have given anything to be there.
Brad,
Thanks for the reminder!
“Michigan voter,”
There are no “questions” about the “viability” of the Reform Party’s 2016 campaign. No matter who the nominees are, it will not be a “viable” campaign in terms of winning the election.
The question is whether it will be a rich man’s vanity outing, or an attempt to rebuild a moribund political party. That’s the choice, and whether or not a couple of candidates were able to make last-minute arrangements to go to New York and spend the day hobnobbing with 11 people is only relevant to the extent that the money it would have cost to do so could have instead be used to reach a LOT more than 11 VOTERS.