Progressive party earns ballot spot
For the first time in its 10-year history, the Missouri Progressive Party has made it onto the state ballot for the November election.
Published Sept. 1, 2006
For the first time in its ten-year history as a political party, the Missouri Progressive Party, a chapter of the U.S. Green Party, has made it onto the state ballot for the November election.
Party co-chair Dee Berry said the party gathered more than 14,000 signatures across the state. In order to get on the ballot, the party needed 10,000 signatures. Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan validated 81 percent of the signatures, giving the Progressive Party admission to the ballot on Aug. 22.
Berry said she hopes the party's presence on the ballot will give voters a more liberal alternative to Democrats, whose views she believes are too moderate on issues such as health care, the election process and the war in Iraq. She also hopes the party can receive at least two percent of the statewide vote so that it can appear on the ballot in 2008.
"We would like to win," Berry said. "But realistically, we're more trying to raise awareness on issues that would not normally be given that much attention."
Bill Hastings, a retired psychology professor from Monmouth College, is the Progressive Party nominee running for a U.S. congressional seat in the 9th District against Republican Kenny Hulshof, Democrat Duane Burghard and Libertarian Steve Hedrick.
"The Progressive Party was hoping there'd be a liberal on the ballot," Hastings said. "However, Duane Burghard is hardly a liberal. I believe in taxing those who can afford it more, and those who can't less, along with universal health care and keeping Social Security. He hasn't taken a strong enough position on these issues."
One of the biggest concerns for Hastings is nuclear disarmament, which he said is hardly recognized as a campaign issue anymore.
"In the '50s and '60s, we took nuclear warfare seriously because we knew it could destroy civilization," Hastings said. "For Bush to offhandedly suggest using nuclear weapons on other countries and building more nuclear weapons is frightening. The last thing we need is another nuclear standoff."
Hastings said he hopes to attract voters disillusioned with the Democrats' performance in recent politics.
"I'm appealing to people who are working class, who are worried about losing their jobs, Medicare and Social Security," Hastings said. "I believe the average voter does want universal health care. I'm tired of Democrats putting up weak programs and weak candidates and saying we have to support them."
Communicating with the electorate is Hastings' main concern. As a third-party candidate, he is forced to personally finance most of his campaign since donations are few.
"There won't be a lot of money for my campaign," Hastings said. "I'm depending on the media to recognize I exist, but it's not like you'll see a blizzard of yard signs and bumper stickers."
MU political science professor John Petrocik doesn't foresee the Progressive Party receiving many votes because American politics is not conducive to third parties.
"If one or more of their candidates catch fire, Democrats might be upset," Petrocik said. "However, it's unlikely that they will get more than a tiny fraction of the vote."
Democratic candidate Duane Burghard remains unconcerned about the Progressives' presence on the ballot. Burghard claimed a majority of the signatures the Progressives received were from outside the 9th District. He said Hastings is too liberal to attract a significant number of votes in the district.
"I'm not running as a liberal or a conservative," Burghard said. "I'm running to represent the people of the 9th District. If I had to wear a label, I'd be a conservative Democrat. I've never shied away from that because that's what it takes to win this race."
Despite the failure of most third-party candidates in American politics, Hastings still believes it is possible for him to win.
"I can win," Hastings said. "Will I win is another issue."