Posted on 06/04/2008 10:25:24 AM PDT by Red Steel
Republican John McCain and his Democratic opponent - either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton -- likely won't be the only choices for president on the West Virginia ballot come November.
The Ralph Nader campaign is in full force in the Mountain State. Staff and volunteers for the independent candidate have collected more than half of the signatures required in the state to put Nader on the general election ballot.
Nader regional coordinator Albert Marino said the campaign has gathered more than 7,500 signatures as of Monday. Nader, and any other minor party candidate in West Virginia, needs 15,118 signatures by August 1 to be placed on the ballot.
"We expect to be done much earlier," Marino said.
Nader, who first made a name for himself as a consumer safety advocate, has unsuccessfully run for president four other times. His most controversial campaign came in 2000, when he was accused of costing Al Gore the presidency by tapping into the Democratic vote in key swing states.
Marino said up to 20 people are campaigning and collecting signatures in West Virginia. The campaign has been here for two weeks, mainly in Charleston and Huntington. Supporters will concentrate on Morgantown later this week.
"We have people literally all over the state," Marino said. "Moorefield, Shepherdstown, Harpers Ferry, Wheeling and Barboursville."
Marino expects Nader to make the ballot in at least 45 states.
Nader is credited for modern automobile safety features such as seatbelts and stronger windshields. He's spent years investigating government corruption with the help of activists, dubbed "Nader's Raiders." Their work is credited for the following: The Freedom of Information Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Nader has had minimal success during his previous presidential runs in West Virginia. In 2004, he received just 1 percent of the statewide vote, compared to 56 percent for George W. Bush and 43 percent for John Kerry. Michael Badnarik, the Libertarian Party nominee, got less than 1 percent.
n 2000, Nader, representing the Green Party, earned 2 percent of the West Virginia vote. Bush had 52 percent while Gore received 46 percent. Other independent candidates, Pat Buchanan, Harry Browne and John Hagelin, each received less than 1 percent.
Despite past elections, Nader supporters still believe their candidate has the right message for West Virginia voters.
"West Virginia has historically been ignored by the two parties," Marino said. "A lot of people are looking for an independent option, which is why more and more people are registering as independents in this state."
Since the 2006 general election, at least 18,601 people have registered independent, more than double the Democrat gains and triple that of the GOP.
The state's independent voter registration has steadily increased by 66,096 since the 2000 primary election.
Marino said Nader understands West Virginians because he's long lobbied for coalmine safety and has studied the black lung issue.
A meetup for Nader is scheduled for 6 p.m. June 12 at Capitol Roasters in downtown Charleston.
Nader himself will likely be campaigning in West Virginia soon enough, Marino said. He's the only candidate who campaigns in all 50 states while the major party nominees tend to focus on swing states, Marino said.
Sarah Bailey, spokeswoman for the Secretary of State, said no minor party or independent candidates have been certified to be on the general ballot as of Monday. Candidates must petition to get on the ballot by acquiring signatures of at least 2 percent of the total votes cast in the previous general election. West Virginia recognizes only the Republican, Democratic and Mountain Party as official political parties.
Excellent. Hope they succeed.
Not really following you. Did you intend to respond to the original poster?
Eww! Sounds about right for a greenie weenie.
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