Simone Lawson
The Constitution Party is a political party in the United States. It was founded by conservative activist Howard Phillips in response to President George H. W. Bush's violation of his no new taxes pledge. The party's platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Bible. The party's mission is to uphold individual liberty and limit the federal government to its delegated Constitutional functions. It is the fifth-largest political party in the US as of 2019, and has had varying levels of success in elections, with 28 members elected to city council and other municipal offices across the country as of June 2024. The Constitution Party's affiliate in Colorado, the American Constitution Party, gained major party status in the state after receiving over 36% of the popular vote in the 2010 gubernatorial election.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founding | Founded in 1992 as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party |
| Founder | Howard Phillips |
| Reason for founding | Shift away from "limited and empowered local government, and very broad and significant individual freedoms" |
| Recognition | Recognized by the FEC in 1996 |
| Renaming | Renamed in 1999 |
| Party status | Third-largest party in the U.S. as of October 2020 |
| Ballot status | Ballot-qualified in 14 states as of September 2019 |
| Number of elected members | 28 members elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the U.S. as of June 2024 |
| State party status | The Constitution Party of Minnesota and Colorado have achieved major party status once |
| Voter registration | The American Constitution Party's voter registration doubled from 1,271 to 2,731 voters during the 2010 Colorado gubernatorial election campaign |
| Platform | Based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and shaped by principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Bible |
| Beliefs | Upholds the right to keep and bear arms, opposes federal aid, foreign aid, and national healthcare, and believes in the God-given right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitution Party is the fifth-largest party in the US
The Constitution Party is the fifth-largest political party in the US. It was founded by conservative activist Howard Phillips after President George H. W. Bush went back on his pledge of "read my lips: no new taxes". The party's platform is based on originalist interpretations of the US Constitution and is shaped by principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Bible. The party supports the right to bear arms and opposes federal aid, foreign aid, and national healthcare. It also takes a stance against abortion and believes in the importance of protecting individual liberty.
The Constitution Party has had some success in elections, with 28 members elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the US as of June 2024. The party has achieved major party status in Minnesota and Colorado. In the 2010 Colorado gubernatorial election, the American Constitution Party's candidate, Tom Tancredo, received over 36% of the popular vote. This success gave the party the ability to appoint 17 members to Colorado state boards and commissions.
The Constitution Party has also experienced some internal divisions and disagreements. In 2000, a schism occurred, with members who advocated for an explicitly religious party leaving to form the Christian Liberty Party (formerly known as the American Heritage Party). In 2006, the Constitution Party of Oregon disaffiliated with the national party over disagreements regarding abortion policy.
Despite these challenges, the Constitution Party remains a significant force in US politics, with a strong base of supporters and a commitment to its core principles and values.
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It has 28 members elected to municipal offices
As of June 2024, the Constitution Party has 28 members elected to municipal offices across the United States. This includes city council seats. The Constitution Party is a third-party conservative political party, which was founded by Howard Phillips, a conservative activist. The party's platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and is shaped by principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Bible. The party ranks fifth among national parties in the US in terms of registered members.
The Constitution Party was established as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party in 1992, in response to a perceived shift away from "limited and empowered local government, and very broad and significant individual freedoms." The Federal Election Commission officially recognized the party in 1996, and its name was changed to the Constitution Party in 1999. During the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections, the party sought to nominate prominent politicians, such as Pat Buchanan and Ross Perot, but was unsuccessful. Instead, the party selected Phillips as its presidential nominee in three successive elections.
In 2000, a schism occurred within the party, with those advocating for an explicitly religious party leaving to form the Christian Liberty Party, then known as the American Heritage Party. Despite this, the Constitution Party has had some successes in elections. In 2002, Greg Moeller became the first member of the party to win a partisan election. The Constitution Party of Minnesota and Colorado have both achieved major party status once. During the 2010 Colorado gubernatorial election, the party's affiliate in Colorado, the American Constitution Party, gave its gubernatorial nomination to Tom Tancredo, who received over 36% of the popular vote.
The Constitution Party's mission is to secure liberty for its citizens and their posterity through the election of Constitution Party candidates who will uphold the principles of the founding documents of the nation. The party believes in limiting the federal government to its delegated, enumerated, Constitutional functions. It also upholds the right of citizens to keep and bear arms and opposes federal aid, foreign aid, and national healthcare.
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It was founded by Howard Phillips
The Constitution Party, a conservative political party in the United States, was founded by Howard Phillips in 1992. Phillips, a prominent political activist and writer, had a strong influence on the party's principles and policies. The party's platform includes a commitment to limited government, individual liberty, and restoring what it sees as the original intent of the United States Constitution.
Phillips was born in 1941 and graduated from Harvard University with a degree in history and economics. He began his political career as a Republican, working in the Nixon administration and later running for Senate and Congress, although unsuccessfully. In 1990, he founded the Constitution Party, then known as the Taxpayers Party, and served as its first chairman.
The party's foundation was a response to Phillips' belief that the Republican Party was no longer adhering to conservative principles. He felt that the Republican Party had abandoned its small-government ideals and was instead embracing big government and what he saw as a form of political correctness. Phillips wanted to create a party that would uphold what he saw as traditional American values and constitutional principles.
The party has run candidates for president in every election since its founding, with Phillips himself running for president three times on the party's ticket. The party's platform includes a range of conservative and libertarian policies, such as strict adherence to the Constitution, reducing the size and scope of the federal government, and protecting what they see as traditional family values.
Phillips remained active in politics until his death in 2013. He was a strong advocate for what he believed in and was known for his unwavering commitment to his principles. His influence can still be seen in the party he founded, which continues to promote his vision of limited government and constitutional adherence.
Today, the Constitution Party has an unknown number of members, as it does not release membership figures. However, it remains an active force in American politics, with candidates running for office at various levels and continuing to promote the values and principles established by Howard Phillips.
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It is a conservative third party
The Constitution Party is a conservative third party in the United States. It was founded by conservative activist Howard Phillips after President George H. W. Bush went back on his pledge of "read my lips: no new taxes". The party platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and is shaped by principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Bible. The party believes in limiting the federal government to its delegated, enumerated, and Constitutional functions, upholding citizens' right to keep and bear arms, and opposing federal aid, foreign aid, and national healthcare.
The Constitution Party is the fifth-largest political party in the United States, with 28 members elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the country as of June 2024. It has achieved major party status in Minnesota and Colorado, and it was a ballot-qualified party in 14 states as of September 2019. The party has a conservative political platform focused on restoring the Federal Government to the Constitution's provisions.
The Constitution Party has run candidates in several presidential elections, including Howard Phillips, who was the party's presidential nominee in three successive elections. Other presidential nominees have included Michael Peroutka in 2004, Chuck Baldwin in 2008, Virgil Goode in 2012, and Darrell Castle in 2016. In 2010, the American Constitution Party, the Constitution Party's affiliate in Colorado, gave its gubernatorial nomination to Tom Tancredo, who received over 36% of the popular vote.
The Constitution Party has experienced some internal divisions, with a schism occurring in 2000 over the issue of religious explicitness, leading to the formation of the Christian Liberty Party (formerly known as the American Heritage Party). In 2006, the Constitution Party of Oregon also disaffiliated with the national party due to disagreements over abortion policy. Despite these divisions, the Constitution Party remains an active third party in American politics, advocating for its conservative interpretation of the Constitution and seeking to elect candidates who uphold its principles.
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It is also known as the American Constitution Party
The Constitution Party is a political party in the United States. It was founded by conservative activist Howard Phillips after President George H. W. Bush went back on his pledge of "read my lips: no new taxes". It is also known as the American Constitution Party (ACP).
The ACP is the affiliate of the Constitution Party in Colorado. It adopts the platform of the national Constitution Party, with some exceptions outlined in its Essential Core Values and Preamble. The ACP's mission is to elect Constitution Party candidates who will uphold the principles of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution of Colorado. The ACP aims to limit the federal government to its delegated, enumerated, Constitutional functions.
The ACP holds that civil governments must be strictly limited in their powers to intrude upon the persons and private property of individual citizens. It upholds the right to keep and bear arms, as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the Constitution. The ACP also opposes government involvement in abortion, euthanasia, infanticide, and suicide.
The ACP has had some success in Colorado. During the 2010 gubernatorial election, the ACP gave its nomination to Tom Tancredo, who received over 36% of the popular vote, more than the 10% required for major party status in the state. This allowed the ACP to appoint seventeen members to Colorado state boards and commissions.
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Frequently asked questions
As of June 2024, the Constitution Party has 28 members who have been elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the United States.
The Constitution Party is the fifth-largest political party in the United States.
As of September 2019, the Constitution Party was ballot-qualified in 14 states.
Some other third parties in the US include the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Alliance Party.
