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PRESIDENCY 2000:
INDEPENDENT,
WRITE-IN & OTHER CANDIDATES
Although Anderson filed initial paperwork with the FEC indicating that she planned to run for President, there were no other signs of life from this campaign. No information available on this Independent hopeful.
Joseph K. "Joe" Bellis III (Kansas)
Bellis, a computer software project manager and former evangelical minister, founded "America's Party" in 1998 because he was disillusioned by the existing choice presented to the American people. A self-proclaimed "average American" who drives a used 1979 Chyrsler LeBaron and buys his clothes at garage sales, his amusing campaign slogan is "Not a Lawyer! Not a Washington Insider! Not a Politician! Just an American, like you." Bellis ended his campaign -- and the America's Party Presidential run -- on July 3, 2000. He subsequently endorsed Pat Buchanan for President. The VP nominee on the Bellis ticket was young, former Army officer Derrick C. Johnson -- a one-time GOP candidate for Congress.
Robert M. "Bob" Bowman (Florida)
Bowman is a walking contradiction. He's a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel who became a longtime peace activist in the Veterans for Peace organization and founded a pacifist group named the Institute for Space & Security Studies. He's also a lapsed Roman Catholic who bills himself these days as "Father Bob" in the liberal United Catholic Church movement he founded ("Ecumenical, Inclusive and Non-judgmental"). Bowman is also an announced candidate for the Reform Party's Presidential nomination. His campaign site (linked above) contains biographical information, his stump speech, his campaign schedule and some position statements. Although Bowman had no real chance of capturing the Reform nomination, he waged an active campaign before leaving the party in April 2000. A posting on his site in Spring 2000 indicated that Bowman was spinning off further off into political gadfly territory -- as next touted himself as the "Peace and Justice Coalition candidate" for the "nomination[s] of Reform Party USA, Green Party, Labor Party, Socialist Party, Peace & Freedom Party, American Reform Party, Libertarian Party, US Pacifist Party [and] Natural Law Party." It also indicates that Bowman doesn't even know that several of these parties have already designated nominees for 2000. Eventually, Bowman ended his White House bid and endorsed Natural Law Party nominee John Hagelin in July 2000.
While Broida maintained he was a serious candidate for President, his comments were rather amusing. Check out his 20 statements, including: "5. I have never served jail time. I am not a crook, yet. ... 10. I promise nothing. I can back that up 100%. ... 16. I will not end racism. But I might try to ban the Indy 500. ... [and] 20. I will not attempt to make a bigger fool of myself than any other president ever did." A former warehouse clerk, Broida withdrew from the race in March 2000: "I got a new job, so I really don't care anymore," he explained. An additional link is Project Vote Smart: David Broida.
Jerry Leon Carroll (California)
Carroll has twice before been a write-in candidate for US Senator. No other information yet available on this Independent hopeful.
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
Caroline Tevis Corbit (Alabama)
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
Gerald Daigneau (New Hampshire)
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
Although Dorman filed paperwork to run for President in 2000 as an Independent, Project Vote-Smart reports that he died in 1999.
Not only had Echols selected a VP runningmate (his fishing buddy Brent "Snag" Cook), he had even designated his future Attorney General (his friend John "Rad" Cook) -- before he aborted his campaign in Summer 1999 and threw his support (presumably himself, Snag and Rad) behind write-in candidate Fred Cook.
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
A "Draft Flair" campaign for professional wrestler Ric "Nature Boy" Flair appeared on the net shortly after ex-pro wrestler Jesse "The Body" Ventura was elected Minnesota Governor in 1998. Flair -- a wealthy businessman -- has campaigned in the past for President Bush, Jesse Helms, Sue Myrick, Carroll Campbell, Bob Dole and other GOP candidates. Flair announced his candidacy for North Carolina Governor in January 2000 -- effectively ending any Presidential draft campaign (although he quickly quit the race a month later). While "Ric Flair" is a stage name, his legal name is actually Richard M. Fliehr.
No information yet available on either Flynn or his Liberal Party -- which is seemingly unrelated to the older and established Liberal Party of New York State. Flynn seemingly has founded a new entity and declared himself its nominee for 2000.
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
Perennial candidate Hamburg has lost 12 consecutive bids for President and for Governor, US Senate and Congress in Wyoming. He proudly describes himself as the "Very Independent UNPOPULAR Candidate" -- unpopular, he explains, because the special interests and bureaucrats hate him. A house painter by trade, Hamburg spent nearly twenty years in the Army -- serving in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Before becoming an Independent, Hamburg ran for state office several times as a Democrat and as a member of the now-defunct New Alliance Party. Now claiming to be a homeless veteran, Hamburg suddenly popped-up in Nebraska in February 2000 and filed as a candidate for US Senator in the Democratic primary. An additional link is Project VoteSmart: Al Hamburg.
Hill, who won 32 votes as a write-in candidate for Congress in 1998, filed FEC paperwork to run for President in 2000 as the "Populist Democratic Viking" candidate. Huh? Whatever that meant doesn't really matter any more, as Hill abandoned his Presidential campaign to make a second write-in bid for Congress in May 2000.
Professional wrestler "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan announced his candidacy for President on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in November 1998, just three weeks after his former wrestling rival Jesse "The Body" Ventura was elected Minnesota Governor. Although this his candidacy was largely an elaborate publicity stunt, Hogan promised that if elected he will be "honest ... and think of America first." Since the initial announcement, Hogan has done nothing else to promote his candidacy and seems to have forgotten about the whole thing. While "Hulk Hogan" is a stage name, his legal name is actually Terry Bollea.
A self-proclaimed "very much moderate" candidate, Jones is a technical marketing assistant at a company that supplies safety testing equipment to automakers. Married and a father of four, Jones says he is pro-children and opposed to divisive partisan politics. Jones -- who was looking for a VP runningmate by post messages in the alt.politics newsgroup -- promised a series of IRC online town-hall meetings. He subsequently took his campaign page offline and, presumably, has withdrawn from the race.
Yes, it is THAT Michael Jordan! This site promotes a P2000 draft campaign on behalf of recently retired pro basketball superstar, actor and TV commercial spokesman Jordan. Despite the enthusiasm of these Jordan fans who believe he is a great role model for the nation, the chances of Jordan actually running are about zero -- and Jordan himself has done nothing to openly encourage or discourage this draft effort -- although the Fan Forum section of Michael Jordan's Official Site does have an ongoing thread about this draft campaign site. One major glitch in the Draft Jordan campaign was probably the fact that Jordan endorsed fellow former basketball star Bill Bradley for President in April 1999 -- and clearly has no interest in running for office.
Judd, who described himself as a bongo drums "musician" when he last ran for office, was a write-in candidate for Albuquerque Mayor in 1993. Judd attempted to qualify as a write-in candidate for Governor in 1994, but abandoned that race. Now, it seems, he wants to be a write-in candidate for President.
Dr. Lassie, a psychologist and political progressive, made a brief run for President before withdrawing from the race in December 1999.
Levy, 68, is Jewish, liberal and holds a bachelor's degree from George Mason University. In 1998, he was an Independent candidate for Congress against GOP incumbent Tom Davis -- but Levy lost by a 83% to 17% vote. This Independent hopeful appears to have ended his campaign for President, as he subsequently filed in June 2000 to make a second Independent run in Virginia against Congressman Davis.
Robert K. Lewis (Missouri)
Lewis -- running under the banner of an unknown political entity entitled the "Patriot Knowledge Base" -- appears to be a fairly radical Religious Right conservative. His campaign web site -- no longer online -- contained blunt, politically incorrect comments about most political issues. He denounces the New World Order, "Luciferian Communism," homosexuality ("God hates queers and they know it"), the Blue Ribbon Campaign for Internet free speech, and "President William Jackass Clinton, who is the archtype of everything bad in America." One of Lewis' pages closed with these warm words: "You don't like my opinions? Too bad." The PKB, which has never before fielded any candidates for office, seems largely to be an alter-ego of Lewis -- and entirely inactive these days.
Walter Morales Luccioni (Florida)
Luccioni says he is the nominee of the unknown "Catholic Party of America." As this is a new entity that has never before fielded any candidates, it is hard to determine at this time whether any real party organization exists or whether the party is simple Luccioni's alter-ego. No sign of either Luccioni's campaign nor the party since he first filed his FEC paperwork back in 1998.
Michael Mannichewitz (New York)
This self-described "Orthodox Christian" candidate appears to embelish his qualifications a little bit. According to his official bio, Mannichewitz is a West Point grad with a law degree from the "University of the Vatican City" ... and holds four more college degrees. He claims to be a practicing lawyer, judge, "Biblical Agent," a British Secret Service agent, an FBI agent, the Commandant of the US Marine Corps, Admiral of the Navies, a security guard, the owner of the P.T. Barnum & Bailey Circus, the "former King of England, France, Germany, Austria & Italy," a former two-term US President ... and the father of 149 children. Now I'd be willing to possibly believe Mannichewitz's security guard claim -- but I must confess I have a few doubts about all that other stuff. No sign of any campaign activity in nearly a year.
McNally, running under the unknown "National Christian" banner, is actually a convicted felon currently serving a federal prison sentence. On his FEC paperwork, McNally even listed his mailing address as "U.S. Penetentiary, Marion, Illinois." Presumably, McNally is running so he can secure his freedom by pardoning himself once elected. Since he's already unsuccessfully tried this idea in past years, McNally would probably have better odds of getting out if he simply got himself a shovel and started digging. As an imprisoned felon, McNally is not eligible to vote but is eligible to run for federal office. As in his past runs, this campaign appears to be virtually non-existant (of course, the candidate's incarceration may help explain this inactivity).
Merrill is a young educator, Army Reserve veteran, outdoorsman, Civil War re-enactor, husband and father. Merrill says he is running for President because he "understands the needs of the average American family." He denounced both major parties and partisan politics in general. His top priorites -- although his platform is very sparse -- appear to be fighting global terrorism, eliminating pork from the federal budget, appointing federal judges who are "tough and uncompromising" on crime, and cutting the power of the United Nations in directing US troop actions abroad. Merrill -- who claims to be the nominee of the unknown "New Direction Party" -- is listed here as an Independent because his party appears to merely be an alter-ego of the candidate. As his site's content was removed in early 2000, it should be presumed that Merrill has withdrawn from the race.
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
Murphy should probably be considered an Independent candidate for President even though he filed FEC paperwork indicating he is seeking the nomination of the "New Reform Party" -- as it is an unknown political entity which likely consists of just Murphy as its only party member.
Samuel L. Powell (District of Columbia)
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
Deborah Katz Pueschel (Florida)
A retired federal employee, Pueschel filed paperwork in Florida to to run for President and to simultaneously run for Congress in 2000. She decribed herself as "Pro-Campaign Reform, Pro-Capital Punishment, Pro-Constitution, Pro-Family, Pro-Life, Pro-Military, Pro-States' Rights, Pro-Term Limits ... [and for] Less Taxes." Pueschel abandoned the Presidential campaign in May 2000 and instead decided to concentrate on her Congressional campaign. On her Congressional campaign site, she vows to make another run for President in 2004.
Saunders, an electronic technician and Army veteran, was running under the banner of his own conservative party entitled the "Internet Party." Saunders withdrew from the race and endorsed Constitution Party nominee Howard Phillips in November 1999.
Robert L. "Bobby" Saunders (Virginia)
Saunders first ran for President in 1996. No other information yet available on this Independent hopeful.
Schwab is running because he hates negative politics and thinks campaigns should be about issues that are important to most people. However, beyond these vague statements, Schwab offers no specifics as to which issues he thinks are important or what his views are on those important issues. As the page has not been updated since 1998, this campaign is likely inactive.
No information yet available on this Independent hopeful.
U.S. Senator Robert C. "Bob" Smith (New Hampshire)
Smith, the single most conservative member of the entire US Senate, ran a rather quixotic Presidential campaign. On January 1, 1999, Smith announced his candidacy for the GOP Presidential nomination. In July 1999, Smith bolted from the GOP and announced he would seek the US Taxpayers Party nomination. Then, in August 1999, Smith announced he would not seek the USTP nomination but instead would run as an Independent. Finally, citing lackluster fundraising totals, Smith withdrew completely from the Presidential race on October 28, 1999 and rejoined the GOP four days later.
Stenson, a former attorney, writes in her bio that she has been in "unenlisted civilian military service" since 1991. An unsuccessful and little-noticed 1996 candidate for Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Stenson now wants to be President.
John J. "Swartz" Trent (Virginia)
No information available on this Independent hopeful.
No information available on this Independent write-in hopeful.
Stephen C. Vorderstrasse (Oregon)
No information yet available on this Independent hopeful.
Walker is running a largely one-issue campaign: abolish all federal income taxes. Period. And don't replace them with any type of new taxes on income. He also makes a rather unusual request of voters: "If you don't vote for me, please don't vote for one of the politicians who are always telling us they are going to fix social security and national debt." No website -- just an e-mail address -- and no sign of and campaign activity for quite a while.
Storm Bear Williams (North Carolina)
Williams -- a marijuana legalization candidate -- has moved in and out of the various political parties. He supported Reagan in '84 -- then helped the Libertarians -- before settling into the Perot/Reform Party movement for a lengthy period in the 1990s. Williams praises third parties in general for promoting new ideas. A self-described "Druid" who works as a "lab monkey for a local home healthcare pharmacy" (i.e., a clinical coordinator), he vows to protect the religious rights of "Neo-Pagans in the military." He's also pro-choice and wants to eliminate the national debt. As his site went off-line in Summer 2000, Williams has presumably ended his campaign.
Mark "The Whip" Wippler (California)
A Religious Right conservative, Wippler is running as the candidate of the Whole Heart Independent Party -- which he describes as "a party of one individual" (umm ... wouldn't that actually mean he's simply running as an Independent). He describes himself as "an average American who has had enough of both political parties' lack of leadership abilities." He writes that "the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the King James Authorized Version 1611 Bible" are his political platform. Wippler also make a dire plea for help on his site: "I need a Vice President, cabinet members, and most importantly electors in each state." Cabinet members?? Wippler hasn't even been elected but he's already looking to fill his Cabinet! As his site went off-line in Summer 2000, Wippler has presumably ended his campaign.
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