Greg Campbell
10/31/2006

If there is one person who is most likely to decide the outcome of the race for Congress in the 4th Congressional District, it’s Eric Eidsness.

This brass-knuckled Reform Party candidate has done nothing but gain steam since the Oct. 24 debate, scoring two coups that should make the major party candidates blush in shame—he’s been endorsed by both of their hometown daily newspapers as the best candidate to represent Northern Colorado in Washington, D.C.

Could it be possible that a true dark horse candidate, outspent by about a million to one, stands a chance a winning one of the hottest elections in the country?

Well, let’s fantasize about it for a few minutes … image the scene at the return-watching parties for Angie Paccione and Marilyn Musgrave, who would both be rendered mercifully mute as the reality of Eidsness’s from-behind—waaaay behind—win becomes apparent. Such a turnabout would mean a massive, thunderous Rejection of both parties and their taken-with-a-grain-of-salt messages … and it would mean that voters did what voters are supposed to do, vote for who they believe is the best candidate, not for the lesser of two evils. No one, I think, would be more surprised than Eidsness himself, who has run his campaign on a shoestring yet still managed to have a large impact on this race with messages that clearly resonate with voters frustrated with partisan politics. He will have tapped into the main arteries of the elusive unaffiliated voter without the infrastructure of a major national party and no more than about $40,000.

If that’s not grassroots, I don’t know what is.

But could he actually win?

Well, consider the potential of unaffiliated voters, who comprise 35 percent of all registered voters in the district. Between just Weld and Larimer counties, there are 84,134 active unaffiliated voters, meaning those who are likely to vote in this election. Comparatively, there are 102,418 active Republican voters in the two counties and 64,515 active Democrats.

The point is, an Eidsness victory may be a long shot, but it’s certainly not out of the question—assuming Eidsness can count on the unaffiliated voters to form a base, he’s got the momentum to steal enough votes from both of his opponents to put him over the top.

Theoretically.

His challenge in the final week is to convince voters to overcome the “Ralph Nader” effect, which is a phobic fear of casting votes for third party candidates only to take them away from a favored major party candidate and possibly swing the election to the bad guy. Conventional wisdom says that Eidsness is more likely to draw GOP votes than Democrat votes, but I’m not so sure. Both Paccione and Musgrave have polarized the electorate to the point where their supporters see this election as nothing short of a choice between God and Satan, the roles of each switching, of course, depending on your political stripes. Eidsness has to count on the fact that there are enough people in both parties who see it more in terms of Satan and some lesser devil, and who don’t mind the idea of sporting a “Don’t Blame Me, I Voted For Eidsness” bumper sticker on their car if things don’t turn out the way they voted.

The moral of the story is to have the courage to vote your heart—if you like Eidsness’s message, then vote for him … you can then watch the returns with a clear conscience.

Max Linn Stuns Gubernatorial Opponents with Outspoken Remarks in Historic Three Way Debate

Monday October 30, 9:39 pm ET
Linn Takes on Tough Issues and Wins Debate After Last Minute Legal Decision Clears the Way for Democracy in Action

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- "They have been avoiding me for months, but finally I've had a chance to confront my opponents Jim Davis and Charlie Crist face to face. I would do it again tomorrow if they had the courage to take me on again," said third party candidate Max Linn in a renewed challenge.

During the debate Linn challenged Crist and Davis to answer questions directly and come clean about the amount of money they had taken from lobbyists. With less than fifteen minutes to prepare for the debate, Linn thanked moderator Chris Matthews for reminding him of a rule against speaking directly to other candidates.

U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore reached his decision, allowing Linn to participate in a history making decision just minutes before the debate was to start. Linn argued that he met the WFLA's criteria for participation in the debate with an independent poll showing 8.7% support.

"Max Linn stole the show," said Linn's campaign manager Doug Friedline. Friedline formerly managed the successful Jesse Ventura Campaign for Governor of Minnesota. He added, "It was an outstanding debate. Max showed the weaknesses of his opponents and made it a more lively exchange."

"It was far more interesting. It became an exercise in real democracy when the judge decided voters finally have the right to hear from voices outside the two-party system," said Campaign Press Secretary, Liz McCallum.

Linn said his legal team deserved special thanks for fighting tirelessly to get him in tonight's debate. Linn's legal team includes Luke Lirot and Noel Flasterstein from the Law Offices of Luke Lirot P.A. of Clearwater, and Mark A. Adams of Tampa.

Linn threw down the challenge to his opponents, asking viewers, "Are you happy with the current political system that your children and grandchildren are going to inherit?" Turning Crist's 'empty chair' attack ads against the Republican candidate, Linn said he found only an "empty suit" when looking for Crist in Tallahassee.

Linn promised to donate his salary as governor to charity, reflecting his long campaign in favor of term limits and against political careerism.

For Further Information Contact:
Liz McCallum (727) 599-9537
Doug Friedline (727) 599-9499
Max Linn for Governor
(727) 347-8784
Max@MaxLinn.com

Source: Max Linn For Governor Campaign

Posted on Mon, Mar. 08, 2004, from the Kansas City Star http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/8136979.htm

Green, Reform parties may both tap Nader

By MARIA RECIO

Knight Ridder NewspapersWASHINGTON - Q: Ralph Nader, who is running for president as an independent, will be listed on the ballot in November as:
a) the Reform Party candidate
b) the Green Party candidate
c) an independent
d) all of the above.
The answer is likely to be "d." Nader has made it clear that he will use whatever tactic helps him get on state ballots, and he has lots of options.
In 2000, Nader was the Green Party candidate and won 2.7 percent of the popular vote while on the ballot in only 43 states. In Florida and New Hampshire, if only a small number of Nader voters had gone to Democrat Al Gore, he would have defeated Republican George W. Bush. Democrats fear a repeat this year.
An Associated Press poll released Friday put Nader's support at 6 percent nationally, with Democratic candidate John Kerry in a virtual tie with Bush. The poll, taken March 1-3, was of 771 registered voters and had an error margin of 3.5 percentage points.
Nader's independent, anti-corporate, populist campaign starts its uphill effort to get on the ballot in all 50 states this week in Texas. And there are signs that he may end up as the nominee of both the Reform Party and the Green Party, which are strange bedfellows ideologically.
Texas has one of the toughest standards for ballot qualification in the nation. Starting Wednesday, any minor candidate has 60 days to get more than 60,000 signatures. Complicating the task is that anyone who votes in Tuesday's Texas primary can't sign the petition.
But it's easier for a third party to get listed on the Texas ballot than an individual; a third party needs only 40,000 voter signatures collected in a 75-day period starting Wednesday. As a result, Nader is engaged in an unlikely flirtation with the Reform Party.
The Reform Party, founded by Dallas billionaire Ross Perot in the fiery spirit of his anti-deficit, anti-free-trade 1992 presidential candidacy, all but disappeared after the 2000 campaign, when it split between followers of Perot and conservative commentator Pat Buchanan, the party's nominee four years ago.
Nader met with Reform Party officials recently during a three-day Texas swing. The party has voted to collect the signatures needed to put Nader's name on the ballot as its candidate in Texas.
"Everybody's thrilled to death to have Nader run on our line," said Beverly Kennedy, the Reform Party's Dallas County chair.
The Nader campaign also plans to get him on the Texas ballot as an independent. "We're gearing up for an independent run," said Nader spokesman Kevin Zeese. The campaign Web site is seeking $20,000 to help.
The national Reform Party has maintained ballot lines in seven states that are pretty much Nader's for the asking.
Meanwhile, the pro-environment Green Party, which backed Nader in 2000, has a vigorous Draft Nader movement under way, with Nader stand-ins running for delegates to the party's June convention.
In California, Nader ally Peter Camejo won the Green Party's presidential nomination in last week's state primary, collecting 74 percent support. But Camejo says he won't run for president. "I think it's very important for Greens to endorse Ralph Nader. Nader's campaign is a factor in the election now," Camejo said.
Greens are trying to determine if Nader would accept a draft and have asked him to make his intentions clear. Nader declared in December that he wouldn't seek the Green Party's nomination because he didn't want his candidacy to be constrained by Green Party rules, but that's not the same as renouncing Green Party support.
Zeese said Nader would soon issue a "statement of intent" regarding the Green Party. It has ballot lines in 21 states and is organizing to get on ballots in about 20 more.
Would Nader accept a Green Party draft? "We'll see," said Zeese. "We get a lot of calls from Greens who want him to run. The Reform Party is also calling. He's not seeking the Reform Party nomination, either."
Zeese noted that in 2000, Nader's name was on the ballot in 13 different incarnations, including as the nominee of the Progressive Party in Vermont and the Mountain Party in West Virginia. Nader was clear when announcing that he would run again this year that he would be on ballots under different party names.
"Fifty states - that's definitely what the goal is," said Zeese.
On the Web:
For more info, go to www.VoteNader.org

Press Release from the Reform Party of Texas
For immediate release
March 5, 2003

Reform Party Endorses"Show Us the Money" Coalition

(Houston, Texas) The Reform Party of TexasExecutive Committee endorsed the Show Us The Money Coalition. Byunanimous vote, they passed resolutions supporting the stateelectoral reform lobby and an additional Texas electoral reform.

Show Us The Money is a coalition of Texaspolitical groups whose goal is the enactment of several campaignfinance reforms by the Texas 78th Legislature this year. Texascandidate campaign contribution and expenditure disclosurereforms and enforcement reforms are presently being lobbied inthe State Capitol by the coalition.

In addition to the coalition resolution, theReform Party of Texas passed a resolution empowering the TexasEthics Commission with a state campaign finance law enforcementcapacity.

"We are delighted to join with the Campaignfor People's coalition to push for meaningful Election Law andEthics reform", says Reform Party of Texas Chair CharlesFoster. "Public Policy is a Public Trust, not a commodity tobe bought and sold. But, sadly, what we've always had in Texas isan obvious condition in which access to, and influence over ourlawmakers is far too easily measured in dollar increments. Ourcurrent laws have proven to be inadequate at best and Texas islong overdue for some relief."

Foster adds: "The most disturbing thingabout this situation is not simply that it exists, but ratherthat people seem to be moving toward acceptance of it. With theEthics Commission headed for Sunset Review in the currentlegislative session we can't afford to be complacent. Texas'voters could end up with an oversight mechanism even lessmeaningful than is available now if they don't weigh in on thisfight."

For more information, please contact CharlesFoster at chairman@texasreformparty.org.

Charles Foster, Chair
Alan Schmidt, Vice-Chair
David Collison, Secretary-Treasurer

Reform Party of Texas - http://texasreformparty.org

Posted Sept. 15, 2002

Reform Party Turns Backthe Clock, Returns to Its Roots

The 2002 National Convention was agreat success. In addition to removing all changes to thePlatform made since Dearborn, new officers were elected with thepromise of more accurately serving the desires of the membershipand returning to the principles on which the Party was originallyfounded. A full press release to come or contact the StateChair for more information.

Posted July 31st, 2002

Texas to Participatein 2002 Reform Party National Convention

The Reform Party of Texas iscurrently seeking additional delegates to participate in the 2002National Convention, to be held September 6-8 in Denver,Colorado. The 2002 State Convention empowered the State ExecutiveCommittee to fill vacant delegate positions. If you are a currentor prospective Reform Party of Texas member, please contact the StateChair for more information.

Posted July 20th, 2002

Texas Reform Partyholds State Executive Meeting
to Determine National Committee Members

The Reform Party of Texas held aspecial Executive Committee Meeting Saturday, July 13, 2002 todiscuss the upcoming National Convention and to elect NationalCommittee Members. All three National Committee Member slots werefilled.

Posted July 20th, 2002

2002 StateConvention a Success!

The Reform Party of Texas held its2002 State Convention on June 8, 2002 in Ft. Worth, Texas.Highlights of the convention included:

Revised rules governing Party Officers, National Committee Members, and National Convention Delegates
Election of State Officers
Nomination of National Committee Members, with elections to be held by the State Executive Committee at its next meeting.

The full minutes of the Conventionare available here: 2002 Texas State ConventionMinutes

The Rules of the Texas ReformParty including revisions adopted are available here: TexasState Rules