Veterans Party of America

Veterans Party of America
Leader Mark Wilder
Chairman Mark Wilder
Spokesperson Mark Wilder
Founded December 19, 2013 (2013-12-19) (reformation)
Headquarters Moses Lake, Washington, U.S.
Ideology Constitutionalists,
Centrism,
"Restoration of Our Representative Government"
Political position Fiscal: Center
Social: Center to Center-right
International affiliation None
Seats in the Senate
0 / 100
Seats in the House
0 / 435
Governorships
0 / 50
State Upper House Seats
0 / 1,972
State Lower House Seats
0 / 5,411
Other elected offices 2 (2016)
Website
www.veteranspartyofamerica.org

The Veterans Party of America (VPA) is a political party based in Moses Lake, Washington, USA.

Overview

The VPA fielded several candidates in 2003, including a US Senate candidate in Florida.[1][2] However, the party achieved limited electoral success, and bitter infighting caused it to split into two rival factions in 2006.[1] In August 2008, the original VPA officially ceded its membership and ideology to the Modern Whig Party due to that organization's relatively large military membership, totaling at the time about 10,000 people, roughly 6,500 of which were affiliated with the military.[3][4]

The Veterans Party of America was formed a second time by a group of veterans in December 2013 after the United States Senate approved a new budget deal which included cuts to military members' benefits. Within its first two months, the party amassed a following of almost 20,000 Facebook likes, fifty state affiliates having been formed, and then over 50,000 Facebook likes after just 2 1/2 years[5] with the party receiving Federal recognized political group status.[6]

In August 2014, the Veterans Party of America endorsed its first candidate for Montana State Legislature, by establishing the Montana Veterans Party.[7][8] In March 2015, the Veterans Party of Mississippi, the state-affiliate of the national party, obtained ballot access within that state. It was the first Veterans Party to do so nationally.[9] As of April 2015, the party holds 2 elected offices,[10] with the first being Michael R Hart, Mayor of Commerce in Oklahoma.[11]

In August 2015, the Party announced their candidates for the 2016 Presidential election. The announcement was made at Mount Rushmore National Park. The party's Chris Keniston was named as the presidential candidate with running mate Deacon Taylor. Both men are veterans and have been associated with the party. The group also has numerous candidates for Congress and state legislature for 2016.[12][13][14]

2016 election

Ballot access for 2016 presidential election. Lighter shade indicates write-in access.

In August, 2015 The Veterans Party announced that Chris Keniston, an Air Force veteran, of Texas and Deacon Taylor, an Army veteran, of Nevada as the president and vice president candidates. The Veterans Party had full ballot access in Colorado, Louisiana, and Mississippi and has write-in access in over 10 states. The Party also has candidates running for elections across the country, from the state level with candidates for Senate such as Illinois, all the way down to the local level in Owensboro, Kentucky and Wasilla, Alaska.

References

  1. 1 2 Gunzburger, Ron. "Politics1 - Director of U.S. Political Parties". Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  2. ↑ The Federal Election Commission - list of candidates' party labels in 2004
  3. ↑ "Blogger". Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  4. ↑ Archived May 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ - VPA News Release
  6. ↑ http://www.fec.gov/press/resources/2016presidential_form2nm.shtml
  7. ↑ "Canidates". Montana.vpofa.org. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
  8. ↑ "Elect Marbut to House District 94". Electmarbut.com. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
  9. ↑ "Veterans Party Gains Ballot Access In Mississippi". Independent Political Report. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  10. ↑ paulie. "Veterans Party gets first Election Win". Independent Political Report. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
  11. ↑ "Mayor". Commerceokla.com. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
  12. ↑ "Veterans Party of America names Partys first Presidential candidate - Veterans Party of America". PRLog. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
  13. ↑ "Vernon Presidential Candidate", KAUZ-TV. September 6, 2015. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Vernon Man Runs For President", KFDX-TV. September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 24, 2015.


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