For ten years, Gallup Polls has been asking respondents if the nation needs a new major political party. On October 11, Gallup released these results: Yes 60%, No 26%, undecided 14%.
By contrast, when the poll was last taken, a year ago, the results were: Yes 46%, No 45%, undecided 9%. See here for more details. Not suprisingly, independent voters are most likely to express support for a new major party. Thanks to Eric Garris for the link.
Former president Jimmy Carter recently gave an interview to USA Today. Among other things, he said when the world looks at the United States, it “sees a democracy that’s not working.” See this story. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the link.
Ed Rabel, of Alum Creek, West Virginia, has changed his voter registration from the Democratic Party to the Mountain Party, and may seek the Mountain Party’s nomination for U.S. House, 2nd district, in 2014. The West Virginia Green Party is on the ballot as the Mountain Party. The party has been ballot-qualified since 2000.
The West Virginia 2nd district is the district that runs the entire width of the state from Kentucky to Maryland, and includes Charleston. The current member from that district, Republican Shelley Moore Capito, is not running for re-election because she intends to run for the U.S. Senate in 2014.
Rabel worked for CBS from 1965 through 1985, and for NBC from 1985 through 1998. His autobiography, “Lies, Wars, and Other Misadventures” was published last year. He is a native of West Virginia, but he has spent decades in foreign countries, including Vietnam and Israel. He has visited Cuba more than 100 times. He was NBC’s correspondent for the Pentagon 1993-1997. Thanks to Michael for this news.
On October 10, Rob Sarvis was told he will not be included in the only remaining Virginia gubernatorial debate, because even though he has been at 10% in some polls recently, the average of polls for the last period is only 9%. See this story.
In 2010, there were 40 states which held general election debates for Governor, U.S. Senator, and/or Congressman-at-Large, and in 24 of them, at least one minor party or independent candidate was invited into a debate with both the major party nominees. The 24 states were Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Also there was a Texas gubernatorial debate that included the Democratic, Libertarian, and Green nominees, but the Republican did not participate.
Is it ironic that Virginia’s habits for debates are so restrictive compared to other states, given that Virginia was home to Thomas Jefferson. Thanks to Independent Political Report for the link.
The deadline for California Governor Jerry Brown to sign or veto bills is October 13. He still has not acted on AB 857, the bill to require that statewide initiative petitions are invalid unless at least 10% of the valid signatures were collected by volunteers.
