Constitution Party | |
|---|---|
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| Chairman | Jim Clymer |
| Founded | 1990 (as U.S. Taxpayers' Party) 1999 (as Constitution Party) |
| Split from | Republican Party |
| Headquarters | 408 West Chestnut Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17603 |
| Membership (2021) |  137,367[1] |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-right[13] |
| Colors | Red, white and blue (national colors) Purple (de facto) |
| 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 | 28[14] |
| Election symbol | |
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| Website | |
| constitutionparty | |
| This article is part of a series on |
| Conservatism in the United States |
|---|
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The Constitution Party, named the U.S. Taxpayers' Party until 1999, is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States that promotes a religiously conservative interpretation of the principles and intents of the United States Constitution. The party platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and shaped by principles which it believes were set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution and the Bible.
The party was founded by Howard Phillips, a conservative activist, after President George H. W. Bush violated his pledge of "read my lips: no new taxes". During the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections, the party sought to give its presidential nomination to prominent politicians including Pat Buchanan and Ross Perot, but was unsuccessful and instead selected Phillips as its presidential nominee in three successive elections. Michael Peroutka was given the presidential nomination in 2004, followed by Chuck Baldwin in 2008 (although he faced opposition from multiple state affiliates), Virgil Goode in 2012, Darrell Castle in 2016, Don Blankenship in 2020 and Randall Terry in 2024.
In 2000, Rick Jore, a three-term Republican member of the Montana House of Representatives, became the first member of the party to hold a seat in a state legislature. He was defeated in the 2000, 2002 and 2004 elections; however, he was elected to a state legislature in 2006, the first Constitution Party candidate to be elected. In 2002, Greg Moeller became the first member of the party to win a partisan election. The Constitution parties of Minnesota and Colorado have both achieved major party status once.
As of June 2024[update], the Constitution Party has 28 members who have been elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the United States.[14] In terms of registered members, the party ranks fifth among national parties in the United States.[15]
- ^ Winger, Richard (March 28, 2021). "March 2021 Ballot Access News Print Edition". Ballot Access News. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
- ^ Hudson, Deal (2008). Onward, Christian Soldiers: The Growing Political Power of Catholics and Evangelicals in the United States. Simon & Schuster. p. 82. ISBN 9781416565895. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
- ^ Cox, Vicki (2007). The History of Third Parties. Infobase Publishing. p. 79.
- ^ Kleefeld, Eric (July 26, 2010). "Tancredo's New Home In The Constitution Party: A Religious, Paleoconservative Group Without Much Electoral Success". Talking Points Memo. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
- ^ "Constitutionally Contentious". The American Spectator. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
- ^ [5][6]
- ^ Rudin, Ken. "Election 2010 Scorecard". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
- ^ Joyce, Kathryn (2010). Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement. Beacon Press. pp. 7, 28. ISBN 978-0807010730.
- ^ Cohen, Nancy L. (2012). Delirium: The Politics of Sex in America. Counterpoint. p. 321. ISBN 978-1582438016.
- ^ Lovell, Jarret S. (2009). Crimes of Dissent: Civil Disobedience, Criminal Justice, and the Politics of Conscience. New York University Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-0814752272.
- ^ Smith, Ben (May 4, 2010). "Goode joins Constitution Party". Politico. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
- ^ [8][9][10][11][12]
- ^ a b "Current Office Holders". Constitution Party. October 29, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
- ^ Winger, Richard (November 21, 2016). "New Voter Registration Nation Totals". ballot-access.org Archived November 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 21, 2016.