In PA the green party candidate's failed attempt to get on the ballot was organized, funded and staffed by the GOP. Let's take a look at the green party VA Senate candidate, who will likely draw 1-2% of the vote - most of which would otherwise go to Jim Webb.
(from the initial announcement in June that she'd be on the ballot)
Gail Parker, a retired federal employee who wants to expand the nation's rail system, will appear on state ballots this fall as independent candidate for the U.S. Senate.
Parker, 59, said she does not expect to win. "I'm being practical about this, and I know the chances of a third party candidate winning are very low," she said during an interview on Thursday. "My goal is to create a public forum to discuss the rail issue."
link
Now,
today's news:
Green Party candidate Glenda Gail Parker, 59, of Alexandria, has received less than $600 in support of her candidacy for U.S. Senate.
Even the Virginia League of Women Voters said they would not invite her to participate in the televised debate Oct. 9 in Richmond because Parker failed to earn 15 percent of votes "in a recognized poll," according to a recent report in the Richmond Times Dispatch.
Parker also wants Congress to invest in high-speed passenger rail for Virginia and to stop spending so much money on the war in Iraq. Her commitment to using federal dollars to improve train service is what got her name on the ballot in the first place, Parker said.
Now if only she could take her ideas to the national platform: if only the League of Women Voters would let this female candidate debate Allen and Webb next month. Parker's not giving up hope yet: in a recent television interview, she said, Allen agreed to let her participate. However, she has yet to get the official word from the debate's hosts. Stay tuned.
George Allen is all for the democratic process. Who wants to bet her campaign donations and volunteers start picking up significantly in the next few weeks?
Want to know more about this candidate? Here's some excepts from a live blogging session 6 weeks ago:
Q: Mrs. Parker:
What inspired you to run for Senate? You're facing two seasoned opponents with extensive public service records and mountains of campaign contributions the likes you can only dream of. It would appear to me that your campaign is a quixotic protest with no possible chance of success.
I have seen independent candidates try to bite off something smaller and be successful, but I've never seen anything like an independent US Senate candidacy by someone generally unknown gather more support than in the low single-digits.
So is there some intent on your part to achieve a goal other than an electoral victory?
A: Greg, thanks for your interests in our representational democratic process and this year's race for US Senate.
I am in this race because we need more candidates on the ballot to advocate for Rail. We need rail. We need More Trains and Less Traffic. Greg. We have lost 2530 of our finest men and women in Iraq, but every year 40,000 Americans are killed on our roadway. Rail is safer. We need alternatives ways to move people and goods.
Q: If Allen and Webb were the only 2 candidates, which would you favor?
A: James, neither of the two candidates you mention advocate for Rail. I would have no one to vote for if they were the only candidates running. I would likely exercise the option to write-in a candidate.
Write-in responses have been increasing. We believe that is an indication that we need more candidates and less apathy. We need more candidates on the ballot to advocate for Rail.
Q: Ms. Parker - I really do appreciate your being here but you didn't answer the question. How would you have voted on the federal marriage amendment?
A: Ms. Paige,This campaign is about positive solutions, faith and values. We are about uniting folks to build rail. We need to increase the Community of Faith to help save American lives. We need to unite to build Rail. 40000 Americans are killed every year on our roadways. 300000 are injured every year. We need an alternative way to move people and goods. We can only do that if we are united to build Rail.
Q: And how would Ms. Parker solve the issue of illegal immigration? With Rail?
A: Arturo, actually you make a good point. You see, if we a had MagLev system across the Nation, our immigrant workers could commute from Mexico and Canada each day to work here.
So Rail is the panacea to decreasing the national debt, addressing voter apathy, and illegal immigration - and the federal marriage amendment is not an issue that voters need to know where candidate stands.
But wait - it gets better! Here's a more recent interview from 2 weeks ago:
reporter: What was your impression of the whole "Macaca" incident?
Parker: We feel that the Washington incumbent's serious error in judgment is, by design, an effort to distract voters from the serious issue of the National Debt, now approaching $9 Trillion dollars. Leapt from $5 Trillion in 2001 to almost $9 Trillion today. We must cut wasteful spending and get our country back onto a solid financial basis.
reporter: Illegal immigration is a major problem-if elected what policies would you pursue (i.e. do you support a guest worker program)?
Parker: We believe we will need legal immigrant workers to build Rail in Virginia.
Holy shit...no wonder Allen want her in the debate.
While I don't disagree (especially as a Virginian) that expanding commuter railways is a good idea, these projects would take decades to complete. A simple 15 mile metro extension to an existing rail route in Northern virginia (which was proposed last year and then squashed in favor of adding more buses) would take at least 7-8 years to complete once funding is approved. On top of that, any federal effort would require years of careful coordination and planning with state government - which in turn would require coordination with local government, and reworking major transportation fixes ongoing or slated to start.
Parker ran for a state delegate seat last year in a very progressive Alexandria district (democrate won something like 58-39) - and pulled in 3% of the vote, but why run for U.S. Senate if the sole element of your platform is to advocate rail transportation in Northern virginia?
Where does Jim Webb stand on local transportation issues? where he should (from Webb's site):
The commonwealth's leaders in Richmond will decide the particular projects that should receive the most resources. As Virginia's junior Senator I will work with Gov. Kaine and the legislature to implement their transportation priorities by fighting for greater federal funding.
Hopefully the green party tag next to her name on the ballot will not become a deciding factor in this election. If you know anyone in Virginia inclined to vote green without educating themselves on the candidate - please pass along the live blogging and interview links so they can "get to know" the green candidate for the VA US Senate seat. Regardless of Felix Macaca's embarassing and self-revealing behavior this election will be close, EVERY VOTE WILL MATTER.