Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader has been endorsed by the national Reform Party, giving him ballot access in seven states, including Florida and Michigan, party leaders announced Wednesday.
| Florida, huh? That should be fun. |
Nader spokesman Kevin Zeese said Nader welcomes the support but plans to continue running as an independent. He said Nader would decide on a case-by-case basis whether to accept the ballot lines in each state.
``This shows that Nader can garner support from across the political spectrum, including conservatives who supported Bush in 2000,'' Zeese said. ``The naysayers who said Nader could only get liberal votes are being proven wrong. Conservatives are upset with Bush and looking for an alternative.''
| They may be upset at him for spending like a Democrat, but they ain't stupid. |
Zeese said Nader spoke to Reform Party leaders via conference call Monday night and asked for their support. Other states in which the Reform Party has already secured ballot access for its nominee include Colorado, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana and South Carolina. Nader is not yet on the ballot in any state.``Ralph Nader has stood up for the rights of American citizens his entire life,'' Reform Party USA Chairman Shawn O'Hara said in a statement posted on the party's Web site. ``He is a raving lunatic man of peace, and with the help of every Howard Dean supporter citizen who think Kerry is too far to the right did not vote in the primaries, he can win the November presidential election for George Bush.''
The Reform Party USA said it has more than 1 million active supporters, who Zeese said Nader will use to help him gain ballot access in other states. Reform Party founder Ross Perot received more than 19 million votes when he ran for president in 1992 and more than 8 million votes in 1996.
| Different time, different issues. |
The party endorsed maverick conservative Pat Buchanan in the 2000 election.
| Who got a lot of those Florida votes. |
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