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Independent Greens of Virginia

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This article is about the Independent Greens of Virginia. For the national Green Party's Virginia affiliate, see Green Party of Virginia.
Independent Green Party of Virginia candidates 2010: Ron Fisher 8th, John D. Kelly 3rd, Jeff Vanke 6th, Janet Murphy 4th, Joe Oddo for David Gillis 11th, Tammy Prada campaign manager, Gail Parker 1st, Floyd Bayne 7th, Carey Campbell State Chairman.

The Independent Greens of Virginia, (also known as the Indy Greens), is the state affiliate of the Independence Party of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It became a state party around 2003 when a faction of the Arlington local chapter of the Green Party of Virginia (GPVA) split from the main party. The party's policy is fiscal conservatism and social responsibility, with an emphasis on rail transportation. Because it favors increased political participation and better ballot access, it has endorsed candidates regardless of ideology. As of 2010, it bills itself as "common sense conservative greens - Virginia's original Tea Party".

History

Independent Green Congressional candidate Ron Fisher USN Captain (retired) with Indy Green endorsed Arlington County Green Party candidates: Miriam Gennari and daughter for School Board and Kevin Chisholm for Board of Supervisors with daughter September 2010

The party traces its roots to a local political group of "Independent Green Reformers" in the early 1990s, and cites the example of U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (in office 1965-1983), who left the Democratic Party to became an independent in 1970. In the 1990s the leaders of what would become the Independent Greens were George R. "Tex" Wood and C. W. Anglin. Wood filed lawsuits to gain ballot access for third party and independent candidates, and as of 2010 is 9th District chair of the Independent Greens.

Philosophy and Positions

The platform of the Independent Greens focuses on fiscal conservatism, calling for balanced budgets at local, state, and federal levels, and paying off the national debt. The party supports term limits as well as transportation issues.[1] It is perhaps best known for its advocacy of light rail. On July 7, 2008, the Indy Greens endorsed the Pickens Plan, a proposal by financier T. Boone Pickens, to build wind and solar power, and cut dependence on foreign oil.[1]

The party runs its own candidates and supports all independent and third party candidates, endorsing candidates regardless of ideology. The philosophy behind this support is the party's belief that running is winning. Though the Indy Greens have endorsed other parties' candidates who have been elected, the party has not elected candidates of its own, outside of local offices.[citation needed]

Electoral History

2004

Independent Green candidates, attorney Otis Brown and Gail for Rail Parker

2005

2006

The Indy Greens' most prominent candidate in the 2006 election was retired Air Force officer Glenda "Gail" Parker who ran for the United States Senate against Republican George Allen, the incumbent, and ex-Navy Secretary Jim Webb, the Democratic Party challenger. Parker considered backing out late in the race if one of the other candidates would commit to funding new passenger rail systems and a new accounting system at the Pentagon, and agree to balancing the federal budget and paying off the federal debt.[2] Ultimately, she did not back out or make any official endorsements, but she did offer some last-minute support to Webb.[3] Parker garnered 26,102 votes (1.1%). The margin between Webb and Allen was 9,329 votes, smaller then the vote total of Paker.

Comedian Stephen Colbert found her campaign jingle worthy of a post-election sing-along on his television show The Colbert Report.[4] Colbert also joked that Parker, whose real first name is Glenda, purposely changed her name to Gail just so it would rhyme with "light rail" to make the campaign jingle flow.

The party nominated candidates in three Congressional districts: in the 4th, Albert Burckard received 23.4% against Republican incumbent Randy Forbes; in the 5th, Joseph Oddo received 0.9% against incumbent Republican Virgil Goode and Democratic challenger Al Weed, and in the 11th, Fernando Greco received 0.9% against incumbent Republican Tom Davis and Democratic challenger Andrew Hurst.

2007

The Independent Greens nominated candidates for five state legislative seats. In four of those races, the Democratic incumbent had no other opposition, and the Indy Green nominee received between 17% and 21% of the vote.[5]

  • Senate 31 (Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church): Samuel D. Burley, 4,676 votes (16.52%)
  • Senate 35 (Fairfax, Alexandria): Mario T. Palmiotto, 4,532 vote (20.95%)
  • House 39 (Fairfax): Laura C. Clifton, 2,847 votes (21.17%)
  • House 49 (Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria): James Ronald Fisher, 1,072 votes (19.12%)

In the other race, both the Democratic and Republican parties nominated a candidate.

  • House 28 (Stafford, Fredericksburg): Craig E. Ennis, 457 votes (3.23%)

2008

Presidential race

The party organized presidential forums among minor party candidates between 2007 and 2008. Their first was January 22, 2007, at Randolph Macon Women's College in Lynchburg, Virginia. Participants scheduled were Gail Parker, Cindy Sheehan and Libertarian candidate Daniel Imperato of Florida. Ten more presidential forums were planned for 2007 at universities and colleges. The University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia hosted the second on February 5, 2007.

On January 1, 2008, the Independent Greens became the first state political party in America to launch a petition drive to put Michael Bloomberg on the ballot for president. On April 14, 2008, the party delivered 10,000 petition signatures to the Virginia State Board of Elections to put Michael Bloomberg on the ballot for President, with Paul as his running mate. On February 28, 2008, Bloomberg stated "I am not — and will not be — a candidate for president," and added that he is "hopeful that the current campaigns can rise to the challenge by offering truly independent leadership. The most productive role that I can serve is to push them forward, by using the means at my disposal to promote a real and honest debate."[6]

By August 1, 2008 the Indy Greens had submitted over 18,000 petition signatures to the state board of elections to put the stand-in Bloomberg/Paul ticket on the ballot in Virginia. On August 15, 2008 the Virginia State Board of Elections confirmed that they had collected enough signatures to put Bloomberg and Paul on the ballot.[7] As reported by the New York Daily News reporter Liz Benjamin, Michael Bloomberg withdrew from the Indy Greens ballot line on September 5, 2008. Indy Greens offered the nomination to Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens to run in promotion of his plan to reduce the United States' foreign oil intake by investing in alternative energy.[8]

After Michael Bloomberg and T. Boone Pickens declined the Party's unsolicited 2008 nomination for president and Ron Paul declined the Vice Presidential spot, the Constitution Party ticket of Chuck Baldwin and Darrell Castle were offered the party's ballot line and accepted it on September 8 of that year.[9] Baldwin and Castle received 7,474 votes (0.2%) in Virginia.[10]

On January 28, 2009 the Constitution Party of Virginia gave the parties Independent Green Ballot Access Committee (a registered PAC in Virginia) $25,000.[11] This required the party to file with the state for the first time.[12]

Congressional Candidates

File:Jeremiah Heaton Dist 9.jpg
Independent Green 9th Congressional district endorsee Jeremiah Heaton and Gail for Rail Parker Independent Green Party of Virginia State Vice Chair, and 1st Congressional District candidate 2010
This file may be deleted at any time.

Glenda Gail Parker ran for the U.S. Senate for a second time in 2008. Incumbent Republican Senator John Warner chose to retire, and the seat was picked up by Democrat Mark Warner over Republican Jim Gilmore, by 65% to 34%. Parker came in third, with 21,690 votes (0.59%), just above Libertarian Bill Redpath, with 20,269 votes (0.55%).[13]

Two Indy Greens were nominated for the House of Representatives. In the 8th District, J. Ron Fisher received 2.08% against incumbent Democrat Jim Moran (68%) and Republican challenger Mark Ellmore (30%).[14] In the 11th District seat of retiring Republican Tom Davis, Joseph Oddo received 2.02% against Democrat Gerry Connolly (55%) and Republican Keith Fimian (43%).

2009

File:Anna marie choi.jpg
Anna Marie Choi Indy Green for Rail for House of Delegates in 2009
This file may be deleted at any time.

The party did not nominate candidates for statewide office in the 2009 state elections, but had attempted to draft Washington Capitals hockey team owner Ted Leonsis as the gubenatorial candidate. It did field candidates in seven of the 100 House of Delegates districts, the most of any third party. The top vote-getter was Craig Ennis in the 28th district, who received 24.5% of the vote against Republican Speaker of the House Bill Howell, who had no Democratic opponent.[citation needed] Among other Indy Green candidates were the only Korean American woman on the ballot, Ana Marie Choi, and the only Native American Indian, retired Marine Corps Colonel Jim Leslie. Most of the party's candidates were retired military veterans, such as John Parmele, Air Force. Several other Indy Green leaders were on the ballot as Independents. As usual, the party also offered endorsements to other Independents, including Green Party of Virginia candidates.

2010

John D. Kelly 3rd District, Janet Murphy 4th, Kenny Golden 2nd, Gail for Rail Parker September 2010

In the United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2010, the Independent Greens have 11 endorsee/nominees or congress, one in each Virginia's eleven congressional races.

According to the Virginia State Board of Elections (SBE) and Project Vote Smart, these candidates are running as Independent Greens:[15][16][17]

References

  1. ^ a b www.joinrun.us
  2. ^ "Independent Candidate Gail Parker Pondering Withdrawal From Va. Senate Race". Fox News. October 26, 2006.
  3. ^ "'Gail for Rail' throws support to Webb". The Hook. 2006-11-06. Retrieved 2006-11-08.
  4. ^ "Colbert's a fan of 'Gail for Rail' jingle". The Hook. 2006-11-15. Retrieved 2006-11-15.
  5. ^ "Virginia State Board of Elections : Election Results for 2007". Sbe.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  6. ^ Bloomberg, Michael R. "I'm Not Running for President, but...", The New York Times, February 28, 2008.
  7. ^ "Mayor Bloomberg on Virginia ballot", Third Party Watch, 19 August 2008 . Retrieved 20 August 2008.
  8. ^ "T. Boone Pickens invited (sic) to join Independent Greens presidential ticket; Bloomberg withdraws", Third Party Watch, 5 September 2008 . Retrieved 6 September 2008.
  9. ^ "Independent Green Party of Virginia Puts Baldwin on Ballot", Ballot Access News, 8 September 2008 . Retrieved 8 September 2008.
  10. ^ Dave Leip's Atlas of US Presidential Elections
  11. ^ http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/Campaign_Finance_Disclosure/View_Disclosure_Reports/CF_Reports_Results.asp?SUWVVal=CommitteeActiveView&RepYearVal=2009&tCNVal=&tCCVal=&tCSVal=&tCZVal=&tCOVal=&tCBDVal=&tCEDVal=&tCAFVal=&tCATVal=&tCCSOptVal=EqualTo&CandVal=&CommVal=982566&RDVal=03/31/2009&RSDVal=01/01/2009&SCHVal=A&OffVal=&PtyVal=&FSVal=&DownID=&RepID=(0)APRP15_09&SchID=A+D+G+H+
  12. ^ "Virginia State Board of Elections : CF Reports Report Codes". Sbe.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  13. ^ https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2008/07261AFC-9ED3-410F-B07D-84D014AB2C6B/Official/5_s.shtml
  14. ^ https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2008/07261AFC-9ED3-410F-B07D-84D014AB2C6B/Official/6_s.shtml
  15. ^ "2010 Candidates". Votejoinrun.us. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  16. ^ "Virginia State Board of Elections". Sbe.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
  17. ^ "Project Vote Smart - U.S. Congress Candidates for Virginia". Votesmart.org. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
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