United States third party and independent presidential candidates, 2012
Encyclopedia
This article contains lists of official and prospective third party and independent candidates associated with the 2012 United States presidential election.
"Third party
" is a term that is commonly used in the United States
to refer to political parties
other than the two major parties
, which are the Democratic Party
and Republican Party
. The term is used as innumerate
shorthand for all such parties, or sometimes only the largest of them.
An independent candidate
is one who runs for office with no formal party affiliation.
Those listed as candidates have either formally announced they are candidates in the 2012 presidential election
and have filed as candidates with the Federal Election Commission
(FEC), or have formed an exploratory committee
for a possible presidential run in 2012. They are listed, in each respective section, alphabetically by surname.
Prospective candidates are individuals who are the subject of speculation in prominent media sources as being possible candidates for the nomination of a party other than that of the Democratic or Republican party, or potential independent candidates in 2012. The speculation may stem from noted media analysts and commentators, or from actions or comments made by the individuals themselves — which suggest the possibility of a presidential run — as reported in reliable media sources. They are listed, in each respective section, in order of the date of the most recent media citation.
"Third party
Third party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
" is a term that is commonly used in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to refer to political parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
other than the two major parties
Major party
A major party is a political party that holds substantial influence in a country's politics, standing in contrast to a minor party. It should not be confused with majority party.According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:...
, which are the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. The term is used as innumerate
Numeracy
Numeracy is the ability to reason with numbers and other mathematical concepts. A numerically literate person can manage and respond to the mathematical demands of life...
shorthand for all such parties, or sometimes only the largest of them.
An independent candidate
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
is one who runs for office with no formal party affiliation.
Those listed as candidates have either formally announced they are candidates in the 2012 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2012
The United States presidential election of 2012 is the next United States presidential election, to be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. It will be the 57th quadrennial presidential election in which presidential electors, who will actually elect the President and the Vice President of the United...
and have filed as candidates with the Federal Election Commission
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
(FEC), or have formed an exploratory committee
Exploratory Committee
In the election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for an elected office. They are most often cited in reference to United States Presidential hopefuls, prior to the primaries.Exploratory...
for a possible presidential run in 2012. They are listed, in each respective section, alphabetically by surname.
Prospective candidates are individuals who are the subject of speculation in prominent media sources as being possible candidates for the nomination of a party other than that of the Democratic or Republican party, or potential independent candidates in 2012. The speculation may stem from noted media analysts and commentators, or from actions or comments made by the individuals themselves — which suggest the possibility of a presidential run — as reported in reliable media sources. They are listed, in each respective section, in order of the date of the most recent media citation.
Americans Elect
| Buddy Roemer Buddy Roemer Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III is an American politician who served as the 52nd Governor of Louisiana, from 1988 to 1992. He was elected as a Democrat but switched to the Republican Party on March 11, 1991... Louisiana Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties... (Website) |
On December 1, 2011, Roemer announced his candidacy for the presidential nomination of the advocacy group Americans Elect Americans Elect Americans Elect is an organization created to allow American voters to participate in an alternative nominating process to identify a candidate for the 2012 U.S. presidential election through the internet. While Americans Elect will have the status of a party, the candidates will be approved by a... , but would continue to vie for the Republican nomination. |
Prospective
| Virgil Goode Virgil Goode Virgil Hamlin Goode, Jr. , is an American politician, last serving as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented the 5th congressional district of Virginia from 1997 to 2009... Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... |
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June 10, 2011: The Roanoke Times The Roanoke Times The Roanoke Times is the primary newspaper in Southwestern Virginia and is based in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. It is published by Landmark Media Enterprises... June 10, 2011: The Washington Post The Washington Post The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation... |
Declined to run
| Former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Roy Moore |
Roy Moore Roy Moore Roy Stewart Moore is an American jurist and Republican politician noted for his refusal, as the elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the state courthouse despite orders to do so from a federal judge... , Former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Alabama Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Alabama is the highest court in the state of Alabama. The court consists of an elected Chief Justice and eight elected Associate Justices. Each justice is elected in partisan elections for staggered six year terms. The Governor of Alabama may fill vacancies when they occur... , of Alabama Alabama Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland... . Moore had formed an exploratory committee in preparation for a potential bid for the Republican Party presidential nomination in early 2011. When that campaign failed to gain traction, he began to draw speculation in the media as being a potential Constitution Party presidential contender. Moore eventually withdrew his exploratory committee and ended all speculation of a presidential candidacy in November 2011, when he announced he would seek his former post of Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court in 2012.
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Candidates
| Kent Mesplay Kent Mesplay Kent Mesplay is the California delegate to the Green National Committee and unsuccessfully sought the 2004 Green Party Presidential nomination which he lost again in 2008.-Personal:... (Website) |
Mesplay announced during an interview with Wikinews Wikinews Wikinews is a free-content news source wiki and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. The site works through collaborative journalism. Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales has distinguished Wikinews from Wikipedia by saying "on Wikinews, each story is to be written as a news story as opposed to an... on June 29, 2008, that he was in the planning stages for a 2012 presidential campaign. On May 24, 2011, he filed with the FEC as an official candidate for the Green Party nomination. |
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| Jill Stein Jill Stein Jill Stein is an American physician, activist, co-chair of the Green-Rainbow Party and candidate for President of the United States in 2012. Stein was a candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in the 2002 and the 2010 gubernatorial elections. Stein is a resident of Lexington, Massachusetts and a... Physician A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments... of Massachusetts Massachusetts The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010... (Website) |
Stein formally announced her candidacy on October 24, 2011. She indicated that a key point of her campaign will be her proposal for a "Green New Deal Green New Deal A Green New Deal is a report released on July 21, 2008 by the Green New Deal Group and published by the New Economics Foundation, which outlines a series of policy proposals to tackle global warming, the current financial crisis, and peak oil. The report calls for the re-regulation of finance and... ", which aims to provide energy-based public jobs for the unemployed. |
Withdrawn
| Stewart Alexander Stewart Alexander (politician) Stewart Alexis Alexander is an American democratic socialist politician, presidential nominee for the Socialist Party USA in the 2012 election., and former SPUSA nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2008 election.... United States presidential election, 2008 The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365... Socialist Party USA Socialist Party USA The Socialist Party USA is a multi-tendency democratic-socialist party in the United States. The party states that it is the rightful continuation and successor to the tradition of the Socialist Party of America, which had lasted from 1901 to 1972.The party is officially committed to left-wing... vice-presidential Vice President of the United States The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term... nominee of California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
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Alexander announced in August 2010 that he would seek the 2012 presidential nomination of the Green Party Green Party (United States) The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties... . Alexander also announced that he would seek the 2012 presidential nomination of the Socialist Party USA. He withdrew his candidacy for the Green Party nomination in July 2011. |
Previous
The following people have been the focus of presidential speculation in past media reports, but have not recently signaled an interest in actually running. This gallery does not include people who have declined to run.Libertarian Party
| R. Lee Wrights R. Lee Wrights R. Lee Wrights is an American libertarian activist and the founder and editor of LibertyForAll.net, an online libertarian newsletter.-Background:Wrights graduated from West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, North Carolina in 1976... Author An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... and Libertarian National Committee Libertarian National Committee The Libertarian National Committee controls and manages the affairs, properties, and funds of the United States Libertarian Party. It is composed of the party officers, five at-large representatives elected every two years at the national convention, and a theoretical maximum of ten regional... Member of Texas Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... (Website) |
Wrights announced his candidacy for the Libertarian presidential nomination on April 16, 2011 at the Libertarian Party of North Carolina’s annual convention in Hickory, North Carolina Hickory, North Carolina Hickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina. Hickory has the 162nd largest urban area in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 341,851, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. The city's population was 37,222... . |
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| Bill Still Bill Still William T. "Bill" Still is an American documentary film producer and author of several non-fiction books. He is the creator, producer, and narrator of the documentary films The Money Masters and The Secret of Oz, which focus on the United States monetary system.The Secret of Oz won the Best... Author An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... and filmmaker from Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... (Website) |
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Still announced his candidacy for the Libertarian presidential nomination on October 11, 2011 at KTKK radio in Salt Lake City, Utah Utah Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the... . |
Current
| Gary Johnson Gary Johnson Gary Johnson may refer to:*Gary Johnson , former Governor of New Mexico and candidate for President in 2012*Gary Johnson , American politician, Wisconsin State Assembly... |
November 24, 2011: Santa Fe New Mexican: November 29, 2011: Digital Journal: November 30, 2011: The Atlantic |
Ron Paul Ron Paul Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes... Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
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October 30, 2011: ABC News ABC News ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company... October 31, 2011: Digital Journal |
Previous
The following people have been the focus of presidential speculation in past media reports, but have not recently signaled an interest in actually running. This gallery does not include people who have declined to run.Nominee
| Jack Fellure Jack Fellure Lowell Jackson "Jack" Fellure is an American perennial political candidate and retired engineer. He is the presidential nominee of the Prohibition Party for the 2012 presidential election.-Campaigns:... Perennial candidate A perennial candidate is one who frequently runs for public office with a record of success that is infrequent, if existent at all. Perennial candidates are often either members of minority political parties or have political opinions that are not mainstream. They may run without any serious hope... from West Virginia West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east... |
Fellure filed with the FEC as a Republican Party presidential nominee on November 5, 2008. At the Prohibition Party Prohibition Party The Prohibition Party is a political party in the United States best known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. It is the oldest existing third party in the US. The party was an integral part of the temperance movement... National Convention on June 22, 2011, he received the party's presidential nomination. |
Candidate
| James Hedges James Hedges James Hedges is a Prohibition activist and the former Tax Assessor for Thompson Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania. He holds the distinction as the only individual to be elected to public office from the Prohibition Party in the twenty-first century, and the first since 1959... Thompson Township, Fulton County, Pennsylvania Thompson Township is a township in Fulton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 998... Tax Assessor of Pennsylvania |
Hedges announced in February 2010 that he would seek the 2012 presidential nomination of the Prohibition Party. He was defeated for the nomination by Jack Fellure at the Party's National Covention in June 2011. |
Nominee
| Stewart Alexander Stewart Alexander (politician) Stewart Alexis Alexander is an American democratic socialist politician, presidential nominee for the Socialist Party USA in the 2012 election., and former SPUSA nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2008 election.... United States presidential election, 2008 The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365... Socialist Party USA Socialist Party USA The Socialist Party USA is a multi-tendency democratic-socialist party in the United States. The party states that it is the rightful continuation and successor to the tradition of the Socialist Party of America, which had lasted from 1901 to 1972.The party is officially committed to left-wing... vice-presidential Vice President of the United States The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term... nominee of California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... (Website) |
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Alexander announced in July 2010 that he would seek the 2012 presidential nomination of the Socialist Party USA (SPUSA). In October of 2011, he received the formal nomination of the SPUSA at the Party's National Convention in Los Angeles, California Los Ángeles Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... . According to a published report, Alexander has stated that his reasons for running as the SPUSA candidate "is based upon ..... addressing the needs of the working class, creating good paying jobs, protecting human rights, protecting the environment and ending the U.S. occupation in Afghanistan and Iraq." |
Independent
| Roseanne Barr Roseanne Barr Roseanne Cherrie Barr is an American actress, comedian, writer, television producer and director. Barr began her career in stand-up comedy at clubs before gaining fame for her role in the sitcom Roseanne. The show was a hit and lasted nine seasons, from 1988 to 1997... Hawaii Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of... |
Barr announced in August 2011 that she would run for President in 2012 as the nominee of a political party she intends to create, called the "Green Tea Party." | |
| Robert Burck New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... (Website) |
Burck, better known as the Naked Cowboy, initially announced his intentions to run for President on September 29, 2010, before formally declaring his candidacy at a press conference in New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... 's Times Square Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets... on October 6, 2010. Burck proclaimed “I am not a Republican, I am not a Democrat, I am an American .....it is my goal and intention to lead the Tea Party Tea Party movement The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009... to the office of the presidency.” |
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| Terry Jones Terry Jones (pastor) Terry Jones is the senior pastor of Dove World Outreach Center in Gainsville, Florida, the author of book Islam is of the Devil, and a 2012 Independent presidential candidate.-Biography:... Dove World Outreach Center Dove World Outreach Center is a 50 member non-denominational charismatic Christian church in Gainesville, Florida led by pastor Terry Jones and his wife, Sylvia. The church first gained notice during the late 2000s for its public displays and criticism of Islam and gays, and was designated as... in Gainsville, Florida |
Jones, best known for his plan to burn a Qu'ran, announced October 27, 2011 that he was running for President. He filed with the FEC on the same day, and listed "NPA" for his party affiliation. | |
| Joe Schriner Joe Schriner Joe Schriner is an American politician and journalist. He has run as an independent candidate for President of the United States in four consecutive election cycles. He ran in 2000, 2004, 2008, and is running in 2012.... Journalist A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A... , author Author An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... , and perennial Perennial candidate A perennial candidate is one who frequently runs for public office with a record of success that is infrequent, if existent at all. Perennial candidates are often either members of minority political parties or have political opinions that are not mainstream. They may run without any serious hope... presidential candidate of Ohio Ohio Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus... (Website) |
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The day after the 2008 presidential election United States presidential election, 2008 The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365... , Schriner recorded a podcast Podcast A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication... declaring his candidacy for the 2012 presidential election, stating that it would be his final campaign. This is Schriner's fourth consecutive bid for the presidency. |
| Robby Wells Savannah State University Savannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah State holds the distinction as the oldest public historically black university in Georgia... football coach of Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788... (Website) |
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Wells announced his candidacy on November 21, 2011. |
Current
| Ron Paul Ron Paul Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul is an American physician, author and United States Congressman who is seeking to be the Republican Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election. Paul represents Texas's 14th congressional district, which covers an area south and southwest of Houston that includes... Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
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November 7, 2011: The Christian Science Monitor The Christian Science Monitor The Christian Science Monitor is an international newspaper published daily online, Monday to Friday, and weekly in print. It was started in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. As of 2009, the print circulation was 67,703.The CSM is a newspaper that covers... November 8, 2011: The Hill The Hill (newspaper) The Hill, a subsidiary of News Communications Inc., is a newspaper published in Washington, D.C. since 1994.Its first editor was Martin Tolchin, a veteran correspondent in the Washington bureau of The New York Times.... November 8, 2011: Sunshine State News |
Jesse Ventura Jesse Ventura James George Janos , better known as Jesse Ventura, is an American politician, the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003, Navy UDT veteran, former SEAL reservist, actor, and former radio and television talk show host... Governor of Minnesota The Governor of Minnesota is the chief executive of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty different people have been governors of the state, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial... of Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state... |
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November 4, 2011: St. Paul Pioneer Press St. Paul Pioneer Press The St. Paul Pioneer Press is a newspaper based in St. Paul, Minnesota, primarily serving the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Circulation is heaviest in the eastern metro region, including Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties, along with western Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota and Anoka County,... November 4, 2011: The Washington Post The Washington Post The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation... : November 5, 2011: The Iowa Independent |
Previous
The following people have been the focus of presidential speculation in past media reports, but have not recently signaled an interest in actually running. This gallery does not include people who have declined to run.Declined to run
The following candidates have stated they do not plan to run in the 2012 presidential election. However, some candidates in past elections have denied intentions to run and later entered into those races:Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg (Draft movement Draft Bloomberg movement The Draft Bloomberg movement is a political draft movement in the United States that launched in 2007as an effort to convince New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to run for President of the United States as an independent candidate in the 2008 election... ) |
Michael Bloomberg Michael Bloomberg Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States... , Mayor Mayor In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city.... of New York City New York City New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and... . Following months of speculation that he was preparing to mount an independent bid for the presidency in 2012, Bloomberg unequivocally ruled out the possibility in late 2010: "I am not running for president. I couldn't be clearer about that." When later asked if he would change his mind, he replied, "No way, no how".
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Broadcast journalist Lou Dobbs |
Lou Dobbs Lou Dobbs Louis Carl "Lou" Dobbs is an American journalist, radio host, television host on the Fox Business Network, and author. He anchored CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight until November 2009 when he announced on the air that he would leave the 24-hour cable news television network.He was born in Texas and lived... , broadcast journalist and commentator of New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... . Following his resignation from CNN CNN Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States... in late 2009, Dobbs expressed interest in waging a possible independent bid for the presidency in 2012. When asked in April 2011, following his hiring by the Fox Business Network Fox Business Network Fox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation... as a news anchor and commentator, if he still harbored any political aspirations, Dobbs replied: "Not at all. It’s true that I considered political office last year [....] but my wife and I decided that’s not something for us." |
 Senator Bernie Sanders |
Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders Bernard "Bernie" Sanders is the junior United States Senator from Vermont. He previously represented Vermont's at-large district in the United States House of Representatives... , Senator of Vermont Vermont Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England... . Responding to speculation that he would either challenge Obama in the primaries from the left or mount an independent presidential campaign in 2012, Sanders said: "You will be the first to know: ain't gonna do it."
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Businessman and television personality Donald Trump |
Donald Trump Donald Trump Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have... , businessman and television personality, of New York New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... . In early 2011, Trump openly discussed the possibility of making an independent presidential bid in 2012. In May 2011, he formally declined to enter the presidential race when he announced in a press release that "After considerable deliberation and reflection, I have decided not to pursue the office of the Presidency... I have spent the past several months unofficially campaigning and recognize that running for public office cannot be done half heartedly. Ultimately, however, business is my greatest passion and I am not ready to leave the private sector." |
See also
- Americans ElectAmericans ElectAmericans Elect is an organization created to allow American voters to participate in an alternative nominating process to identify a candidate for the 2012 U.S. presidential election through the internet. While Americans Elect will have the status of a party, the candidates will be approved by a...
- Democratic Party (United States) presidential candidates, 2012Democratic Party (United States) presidential candidates, 2012This article contains lists of candidates associated with the 2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries for the 2012 United States presidential election.-Candidates:...
- Republican Party (United States) presidential candidates, 2012Republican Party (United States) presidential candidates, 2012This article contains lists of candidates associated with the 2012 Republican Party presidential primaries for the 2012 United States presidential election.-Candidates:...
- United States presidential election, 2012 timelineUnited States presidential election, 2012 timelineThe following is a timeline of major events leading up to the United States presidential election of 2012. The election is the 57th quadrennial United States presidential election and is slated to be held on November 6, 2012.-October 2009:...
External links
- Independent Political Report
- Photo Gallery with Fun Facts of Third Party candidates
- 2012 Presidential Form 2 Filers at the Federal Election CommissionFederal Election CommissionThe Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
(FEC)