Third Party and Independent Presidential Candidates 2016
Presidential elections in the United States are dominated by the top two parties – the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, with eventually the nominee of one of these two parties becoming the President of the nation. The independent candidates have largely played an outside role, and the nation is yet to see an independent become the president. However, apart from playing spoilers, the third parties have during the course of US history influenced the American politics. While the Free Soil Party was instrumental in bringing the anti-slavery issue to the mainstream, the Reform Party made the federal deficit an election issue. The Prohibition Party, too, played its part and for over half a century influenced the national, social and moral discourse and legislation.
The 2016 presidential election would see a few third party and independent candidates fighting it out against the heavy weights Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Let us take a look at some of these candidates.
Darrell Castle
Darrell Castle is the Constitution Party’s presidential nominee for the 2016 presidential nomination. An American political figure, activist and attorney from Memphis, Castle was also the Constitution Party’s vice presidential nominee in the 2008 US presidential election. Darrell Castle secured the Constitution Party’s presidential nomination on April 16, 2016. Castle has promised to pull the US out of the United Nations and NATO in case he wins the US presidency.
Gary Johnson
Gary Johnson is Libertarian Party’s nominee for the 2016 US presidential election. He was also the party’s nominee for the 2012 US presidential election. As a Republican, he had served as the Governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003. Gary Johnson announced his candidacy for the Libertarian Party on January 6, 2016. In May, he announced William Weld, the former Republican Governor of Massachusetts, as his running mate.
Chris Keniston
Chris Keniston was named as the Veteran Party’s presidential candidate in August 2015. Keniston was born on January 19, 1971, and is a former military man. Keniston is strongly focused on job creation.
Jill Stein
Jill Stein is Green Party’s presumptive nominee for president. She announced her candidacy on June 22, 2015. Stein was also Green Party’s presumptive nominee for President in the elections held in 2012. She has been a candidate for the Governor of Massachusetts in the years 2002 and 2010. Jill Stein is a strong supporter of the environment.
James Hedges
James Hedges is the 2016 presidential nominee of the Prohibition Party. Born on May 10, 1938, Hedges is an American politician. He is a prohibition activist and has also served as the Tax Assessor for Thompson Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania from 2002 to 2007. In the 2012 presidential election, Hedges had announced his intention to run for the Prohibition Party’s nomination; however, he lost to retired engineer Jack Fellure.
Other candidates
Other candidates include Monica Gail Moorehead of the Workers World Party, Mimi Soltysik of the Socialist Party USA, Jerry White of the Socialist Equality Party, to name a few.
Independent candidates
Some Independent candidates include Ken Fields, a real estate developer and environmentalist; writer and trans-humanist Zoltan Istvan, Pastor Terry Jones, American comedian and actor Ron White, American politician and former college football coach and player Robby Wells.