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David Boren Meeting for a Third Choice Attracts Big Names

Posted on December 30, 2007 by Richard WingerDecember 30, 2007

Former Oklahoma U.S. Senator David Boren has long been known to be sympathetic to the creation of a new, centrist political party. Boren is retired from the U.S. Senate and is president of the University of Oklahoma. He is hosting a meeting on January 7 for other prominent individuals who seem to be in sympathy with his views, or the somewhat similar ideas of Unity08. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sam Nunn, Charles Robb, Chuck Hagel, John Danforth, and others say they will attend. See this story in the December 30 Washington Post.

Nascent Independence Party Allies Itself with One Faction of Reform Party

Posted on December 29, 2007 by Richard WingerDecember 29, 2007

Frank MacKay, state chair of the New York Independence Party, has been trying to create a national Independence Party. His first goal has been to bring the handful of other state Independence Parties into a national Independence Party organization. The Minnesota Independence Party will hold a state convention on January 26 and decide whether to become part of that national party. Other ballot-qualified parties that share that name, or a similar name, include parties in Delaware, Oregon and South Carolina.

More recently, MacKay has wooed the Reform Party, specifically the national faction headed by Rodney Martin, which has been on a winning streak in various lawsuits during 2007 to establish itself as “the” Reform Party. That faction of the Reform Party is holding a national conference in Sacramento on December 29-30, and MacKay will speak to the group.

MacKay hopes that Mike Bloomberg will become the presidential nominee of the Independence Party, should Bloomberg decide to run for president.

The Jewish Week Surveys Possibilities for Strong Presidential Candidates Outside Major Parties

Posted on December 29, 2007 by Richard WingerDecember 29, 2007

“The Jewish Week” of New York published this article on December 26, surveying the field of potential strong minor party and independent presidential candidates in 2008. The article quotes political scientist Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia.

Elaine Brown Withdraws from Green Party Presidential Race

Posted on December 28, 2007 by Richard WingerDecember 28, 2007

On December 28, Elaine Brown withdrew from the race for the Green Party presidential nomination. She also said she is no longer a member of the Green Party.

Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter File for Texas Presidential Primary

Posted on December 28, 2007 by Richard WingerDecember 28, 2007

On the afternoon of December 28, Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter paid their $2,500 to be on the Texas Republican presidential primary ballot. Hugh Cort of Alabama also did so. Everyone whom one would expect to file for this primary has now done so, except for Fred Thompson. But he is free to file on December 31 or January 2.

Hugh Cort is now on the ballot in 7 Republican presidential primaries, more than any other little-known candidate for that nomination. He is also on in Alabama, Arizona, Missouri, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.