Eleanor Finch
The Constitution Party, previously known as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party, is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States. The party was founded by Howard Phillips, a conservative activist, in 1992, after President George H. W. Bush violated his pledge of read my lips: no new taxes. The Constitution Party's platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and is shaped by principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Bible. The party promotes a religiously conservative interpretation of the principles and intents of the United States Constitution, and seeks to limit the federal government to its enumerated powers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year started | 1992 |
| Original name | U.S. Taxpayers' Party |
| Founder | Howard Phillips |
| Reason for founding | President George H.W. Bush violated his pledge of "read my lips: no new taxes" |
| Current name | Constitution Party |
| Year renamed | 1999 |
| Reason for renaming | To better reflect the party's primary focus of returning government to the U.S. Constitution's provisions and limitations |
| Current members | 28 elected to city council seats and other municipal offices (as of June 2024) |
| Ranking | Fifth-largest political party in the U.S. (as of September 2019) |
| Ballot access | 14 states (as of September 2019), 41 states (as of 2004) |
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What You'll Learn
- The Constitution Party was founded in 1992 as the U.S. Taxpayers Party
- The founder, Howard Phillips, was the first presidential candidate
- The party was formed in response to President George H. W. Bush's violation of his no new taxes pledge
- In 1999, the party's name was changed to better reflect its focus on returning government to the U.S. Constitution
- The Constitution Party is an ultra-conservative political party with a religiously conservative interpretation of the U.S. Constitution
The Constitution Party was founded in 1992 as the U.S. Taxpayers Party
The Constitution Party, previously known as the U.S. Taxpayers Party, is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States. It was founded in 1992 by Howard Phillips, a veteran conservative political activist who had left the Republican Party in 1974. Phillips believed the Republican Party was insufficiently conservative. He had served as chairman of the Boston Republican Party and was a staff member at the Republican National Committee in Washington, D.C.
The Constitution Party was formed in response to a perceived shift away from "limited and empowered local government, and very broad and significant individual freedoms." The party promotes a religiously conservative interpretation of the principles and intents of the United States Constitution. Its platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and shaped by principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Bible.
The immediate impetus for the party's founding was President George H. W. Bush's violation of his "read my lips: no new taxes" pledge during his presidency. Phillips, who had founded the U.S. Taxpayers Alliance, used its mailing list to announce the formation of the U.S. Taxpayers Party. The new party sought to nominate prominent politicians like Pat Buchanan and Ross Perot during the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections but was unsuccessful. Phillips became the party's presidential nominee three times in a row.
In 1999, the U.S. Taxpayers Party changed its name to the Constitution Party to better reflect its primary focus on returning the government to the provisions and limitations of the U.S. Constitution. The party achieved ballot access in 39 states for the 1996 elections and increased its vote tally by 40% in 2004 compared to the 2000 elections. As of 2019, it was a ballot-qualified party in 14 states, and as of 2024, it has 28 members elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the U.S.
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The founder, Howard Phillips, was the first presidential candidate
The Constitution Party, previously known as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party, is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States. The party was founded by Howard Phillips, a conservative activist, in 1992. Phillips had left the Republican Party in 1974, believing it was insufficiently conservative. He went on to found the U.S. Taxpayers Alliance, an organization with affiliates in 25 states.
Howard Phillips was the first presidential candidate of the Constitution Party. He was nominated to be the party's first candidate for President in 1992, and he ran as the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 elections. In 1996, Phillips was again nominated to be the party's presidential candidate at its national convention in San Diego, California, with Herb Titus of Oregon as his Vice President. In 2000, Phillips was, for the third and final time, nominated to serve as the standard bearer for the Constitution Party, with Dr. J. Curtis Frazier as his Vice President.
The Constitution 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 promotes a religiously conservative interpretation of these documents and believes in limiting the federal government to its delegated, enumerated, and Constitutional functions.
The party has a history of being staunchly anti-communist and supporting racial segregation. It also opposed the income tax and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. By 1956, the party had state affiliates in New York, Colorado, Pennsylvania, California, Texas, and Illinois, and it continues to seek ballot access and grow its influence.
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The party was formed in response to President George H. W. Bush's violation of his no new taxes pledge
The Constitution Party, previously known as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party, is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States. The party was founded in 1992 by Howard Phillips, a veteran conservative political activist, in response to President George H. W. Bush's violation of his "read my lips: no new taxes" pledge.
During his 1988 presidential campaign, Bush stated that there would be no new taxes under his presidency. However, he went back on his word during his time in office, leading to widespread disappointment and anger among his supporters. Howard Phillips, who had left the Republican Party in 1974, feeling it was insufficiently conservative, seized on this moment to form a new political party that better aligned with his values.
The Constitution Party's platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and shaped by principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Bible. The party advocates for limited federal government and a return to the provisions and limitations set forth in the U.S. Constitution. This includes support for individual freedoms and local government empowerment. The party also holds socially conservative views, opposing abortion and supporting religious values.
The Constitution Party has had varying levels of success in elections over the years. Howard Phillips was the party's presidential nominee in 1992, 1996, and 2000, but failed to gain significant traction. In 2004, the party achieved ballot access in 41 states and nominated Maryland lawyer Michael Peroutka for president and Florida minister Chuck Baldwin as vice president. While the party increased its vote tally by 40% compared to the 2000 elections, it still lagged behind other "alternative" parties. In 2006, the Constitution Party of Oregon disaffiliated with the national party over disagreements on abortion policy. Despite this, Baldwin received the party's presidential nomination again in 2008. In 2011, the party nominated Darrell Castle for president, and he and his running mate, Dr. Scott Bradley, set a party record by garnering over 200,000 votes.
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In 1999, the party's name was changed to better reflect its focus on returning government to the U.S. Constitution
The Constitution Party, previously known as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party, is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States. The party was founded by Howard Phillips, a conservative activist, in 1992. Phillips had left the Republican Party in 1974, believing it was insufficiently conservative. The final straw came when President George H. W. Bush broke his pledge of "read my lips: no new taxes".
In 1999, the party's name was changed to "Constitution Party" to better reflect its focus on returning government to the provisions and limitations of the U.S. Constitution. The name change was proposed at the party's national convention, and it was voted on by delegates attending the convention. The party's platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution, as well as principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Bible. This includes a commitment to "limited and empowered local government, and very broad and significant individual freedoms."
The Constitution Party has a history of advocating for specific interpretations of the Constitution and has sought to nominate prominent politicians as its presidential candidates. During the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections, the party attempted to nominate Pat Buchanan and Ross Perot, respectively, but was unsuccessful. Instead, Howard Phillips was the party's presidential nominee for three successive elections in 1992, 1996, and 2000. In 2000, a schism occurred within the party, with those advocating for an explicitly religious party leaving to form the Christian Liberty Party (formerly known as the American Heritage Party). Despite this, the Constitution Party has continued to gain support and, as of 2019, it was a ballot-qualified party in 14 states, making it the fifth-largest political party in the United States.
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The Constitution Party is an ultra-conservative political party with a religiously conservative interpretation of the U.S. Constitution
The Constitution Party is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States. It was founded in 1992 as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by conservative activist Howard Phillips, who had left the Republican Party in 1974, believing it was insufficiently conservative. The party was formed in response to President George H. W. Bush breaking his pledge of "read my lips: no new taxes".
The Constitution Party promotes a religiously conservative interpretation of the principles and intents of the United States Constitution. The party platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution, as well as principles from the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Bible. The party seeks to limit the federal government to its delegated and enumerated Constitutional functions, advocating for a return to limited and local government and broad individual freedoms.
The name of the party was changed to the "'Constitution Party" in 1999 to better reflect its primary focus on adhering to the provisions and limitations of the U.S. Constitution. This change was proposed at the party's national convention, where the party also selected its presidential and vice-presidential nominees. The Constitution Party has gained ballot access in numerous states, and as of 2024, it had 28 members elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the country.
The Constitution Party has a history of nominating prominent members, such as Howard Phillips, who was the party's presidential nominee in 1992, 1996, and 2000. In 2004, the party nominated Maryland lawyer Michael Peroutka for president and Florida minister Chuck Baldwin as vice president. In 2008, Chuck Baldwin became the party's presidential nominee, and in 2016, Darrell Castle was nominated for president, setting a party record with over 200,000 votes.
The Constitution Party has also experienced some internal divisions and departures. In 2000, a group advocating for an explicitly religious party left to form the Christian Liberty Party (formerly known as the American Heritage Party). Additionally, in 2006, the Constitution Party of Oregon disaffiliated over disagreements regarding abortion policy. Despite these departures, the Constitution Party remains a significant force in American politics, known for its ultra-conservative and religiously influenced interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution Party was founded in 1992 as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by conservative activist Howard Phillips.
The Constitution Party is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States that promotes a religiously conservative interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Bible.
The Constitution Party was formed in response to a perceived shift away from "limited and empowered local government, and very broad and significant individual freedoms." Specifically, the party was founded after President George H.W. Bush violated his pledge of "read my lips: no new taxes."
The Constitution Party has had limited success in elections. In 2000, Rick Jore became the first member of the party to hold a seat in a state legislature, but he was defeated in the 2000, 2002, and 2004 elections. In 2006, he was elected to a state legislature again. As of 2024, the party has 28 members elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the United States, and it is the fifth-largest political party in the country in terms of registered members.
