Although the Labor Party was formed in 1990, it had never run any candidates in a partisan race, nor tried to qualify for the ballot. However, it has been attempting to qualify in South Carolina this year. It wanted to run Leonard Riley of the International Longshoremen Union for the state legislature in the 119th House district, against an incumbent who is perceived as an enemy of labor.

However, that incumbent is not running for re-election, so Riley lost interest in running. The Labor Party has over 10,000 signatures on its petition (10,000 valid are required) and is still not sure if it will turn them in by this year’s May 7 deadline, to participate in the 2006 election. If it turns them in later than May 7, and more than 10,000 are valid, it will be ballot-qualified for 2008, but not 2006.