American Party (1969)
American Party | |
---|---|
Chairman | Arly Pedersen |
Founded | February 1, 1969 |
Headquarters | P.O. Box 612 Tooele, Utah 84074 |
Ideology | Paleoconservatism, nativism |
Political position |
Fiscal: Right-wing Social: Right-wing |
Politics of the United States Political parties Elections |
The American Party was a conservative party in the United States. Originally called the American Independent Party, it was renamed in 1969 by representatives from 37 states. Following the 1972 election, the American Party split from the American Independent Party. Both of the parties have nominated candidates for the presidency and other offices, although the AIP has considered itself a California affiliate of the Constitution Party. In New York, the party ran a state ticket in 1974 under the name of Courage Party, because a state law there prohibits the use of the word "American" on the ballot. The American Party won its strongest finish in the 1972 presidential election; nominee John G. Schmitz carried 1,090,673 votes (3rd place).
In 1990, a small number of members of the party began The Christian Party, whose membership reportedly grew at a faster rate, but ultimately nothing came of it.[1]
The American Party has failed to achieve ballot status in any state since 1996. The party's website disappeared sometime in 2008, and the party appears to be defunct, although in 2010 the Ohio party endorsed several Libertarian Party candidates.
The party had a Florida affiliate, the American Party of Florida, that appeared to carry on operations into June 2011, but became defunct after that and no longer is listed as a political party in Florida.
Presidential and Vice-presidential candidates
Electoral History of the American Party
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Year | Convention Site & City | Dates | Presidential nominee | Vice-Pres. nominee | Votes |
1968 | George C. Wallace (Alabama) | Curtis LeMay (Ohio) | 9,901,151 | ||
1972 | Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky | August 3–5, 1972 | U.S. Rep. John G. Schmitz (California) | Thomas J. Anderson (Tennessee) | 1,090,673 |
1976 | Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah | June 16–20, 1976 | Thomas J. Anderson (Tennessee) | Rufus E. Shackleford (Florida) | 160,773 |
1980 | Pasadena, California | December 8–9, 1979 | Percy L. Greaves, Jr. (New York) | Frank L. Varnum (California) | 6,648 |
Anti-Greaves ticket in Kansas | Frank W. Shelton (Kansas) | George E. Jackson | 1,555 | ||
Unpledged Anti-Greaves Presidential Electors in Minnesota | No nominee | No nominee | 6,136 | ||
1984 | Charlotte, North Carolina | December 1–3, 1983 | Delmar Dennis (Tennessee) | Traves Brownlee (Delaware) | 13,161 |
1988 | Salt Lake City, Utah | June 1987 | Delmar Dennis (Tennessee) | Earl Jeppson | 3,475 |
1992 | Pensacola, Florida | June 1992 | Robert J. Smith (Utah) | Doris Feimer (North Dakota) | 292 |
1996 | Wichita, Kansas | March 1996 | Diane Beall Templin (California) | Gary Van Horn (Utah) | 1,847 |
2000 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | March 30–31, 2000 | Don Rogers (California) | Al Moore (Virginia) | 0 |
2004 | Newark, Delaware | July 11–12, 2003 | Robert N. Boyd (Indiana) (withdrew) | Walter C. Thompson (withdrew) | 0 |
Kenner, Louisiana | January 10, 2004 | Diane Beall Templin (California) | Al Moore (Virginia) | 0 | |
2008 | Jacaranda Hotel, Avon Park, Florida | March 7–8, 2008 | Diane Beall Templin (California) | Linda Patterson (Indiana) | 0 |
Sources for table:
- Ohio Elects the President (2000), pp. 143–174.
- American Party history at OurCampaigns.com
- James T. Havel, U.S. Presidential Candidates and the Elections, vol. 2
See also
Conservatism portal
References
- ↑ Dennis, Delmar "The American Party" Contra Mundum Volume 4 (Summer 1992), pages 46-47.