Mississippi Reform Party
Encyclopedia
The Mississippi Reform Party is the state party organization for Mississippi
of the Reform Party of the United States of America
.
In the 1990s, Ted Weill
founded the Independent Party of Mississippi. Weill received 13,861 votes in his bid for Senate.
In 1997, the Independent Party of Mississippi became the official state affiliate of the national Reform Party and renamed itself the Mississippi Reform Party.
Following the 2000 election, Pat Buchanan
's supporters seized control of the party and affiliated with the America First Party
, an extremely socially conservative party. Ryan Walters was the party's chairman.
Under the control of the America First Party, the Mississippi Reform Party championed the preservation of Mississippi's state flag, defending it against accusations of racism
and the demands that it be changed.
Weill eventually regained control of the party, and in 2003, Shawn O'Hara ran for governor on the party's line. O'Hara is a controversial figure in Mississippi
politics, and ultimately garnered 4,070 votes.
In 2004 Weill was the front-runner for the Reform Party's presidential nomination. Weill withdrew after he learned Ralph Nader
was seeking the nomination, and ultimately endorsed his candidacy.
In 2008, Weill became the Reform Party presidential candidate. Due to a lawsuit, Weill only had a week to campaign, receiving only 470 votes.
These candidates are aligned with controversial party figure Thomas Randolph Huffmaster, who claims he is the party chairman, albeit, the Reform Party of the United States does not recognize him as such. Huffmaster's candidates never appeared at the debates, and never even responded to the invitations to partake. Huffmaster is aligned with John Blare, who continuously claims to be the national party's secretary, although a federal court case determined he was not.
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
of the Reform Party of the United States of America
Reform Party of the United States of America
The Reform Party of the United States of America is a political party in the United States, founded in 1995 by Ross Perot...
.
In the 1990s, Ted Weill
Ted Weill
Theodore "Ted" Weill was the nominee for President of the United States of the Reform Party of the United States of America in the 2008 election...
founded the Independent Party of Mississippi. Weill received 13,861 votes in his bid for Senate.
In 1997, the Independent Party of Mississippi became the official state affiliate of the national Reform Party and renamed itself the Mississippi Reform Party.
Following the 2000 election, Pat Buchanan
Pat Buchanan
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
's supporters seized control of the party and affiliated with the America First Party
America First Party
The America First Party is the name of multiple United States political parties:*America First Party , an isolationist political party in 1944*America First Party , formed by disgruntled members of the United States Reform Party in April, 2002...
, an extremely socially conservative party. Ryan Walters was the party's chairman.
Under the control of the America First Party, the Mississippi Reform Party championed the preservation of Mississippi's state flag, defending it against accusations of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and the demands that it be changed.
Weill eventually regained control of the party, and in 2003, Shawn O'Hara ran for governor on the party's line. O'Hara is a controversial figure in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
politics, and ultimately garnered 4,070 votes.
In 2004 Weill was the front-runner for the Reform Party's presidential nomination. Weill withdrew after he learned Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
was seeking the nomination, and ultimately endorsed his candidacy.
In 2008, Weill became the Reform Party presidential candidate. Due to a lawsuit, Weill only had a week to campaign, receiving only 470 votes.
Rebel faction
Several Reform Party candidates filed to run in the 2010 Congressional election in Mississippi (but none for any statewide office). Among these are Barbara Dale Washer, Tracella Lou O'Hara Hill, and Anna Jewel Revies.These candidates are aligned with controversial party figure Thomas Randolph Huffmaster, who claims he is the party chairman, albeit, the Reform Party of the United States does not recognize him as such. Huffmaster's candidates never appeared at the debates, and never even responded to the invitations to partake. Huffmaster is aligned with John Blare, who continuously claims to be the national party's secretary, although a federal court case determined he was not.