Modern Whig Party
| Modern Whig Party | |
|---|---|
| "Modern Whig Party Owl" logo | |
| Chairperson | Michael Burger |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | 1207 Delaware Ave., Suite 499, Buffalo, N.Y. 14209 |
| Ideology | Fiscal responsibility New Federalism Civil libertarianism |
| Political position | Centrist |
| International affiliation | None |
| Colors | Blue and Buff |
| Seats in the Senate |
0 / 100
|
| Seats in the House |
0 / 435
|
| Governorships |
0 / 50
|
| Seats in State Upper Houses |
0 / 1,921
|
| Seats in State Lower Houses |
0 / 5,410
|
| Website | |
| http://www.modernwhig.org/ | |
| Politics of the United States Political parties Elections |
|
The Modern Whig Party is an American political movement whose stated intention is to be a "party for all of us."[1] Founded by military veterans in 2009, the party describes itself as a mainstream, middle-of-the-road grassroots movement representing voters who do not strictly accept Republican and Democratic dogma.[2][3]
The general platform of the Modern Whig Party relates to fiscal responsibility, strong national defense, and integrity and pragmatism in government. Members of the party have won a handful of local elections, either under other party labels or as independents. In recent years the party has not nominated candidates for any major office. The Modern Whig Party underwent a major overhaul of its structure and leadership in late 2014 and re-launched in the spring of 2015.
Contents
History
Founding
According to The News & Observer, the Modern Whig Party was founded by U.S. troops while they were in "the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan."[4] The Modern Whig Party was organized as a grassroots movement in the beginning of 2007. The Florida Whig Party was created two years earlier with a similar goal at the state level, but was not affiliated in any way.[5][6] Among the national Modern Whig Party's founding members were military veterans who had served in Afghanistan and Iraq and become dissatisfied with the deep ideological divide between the Republican and Democratic parties.[7]
Media coverage
In the spring of 2010 Time magazine rated the Modern Whig Party, the U.S. Marijuana Party, the Pirate Party, the Tea Party movement, and the American Secessionists as among the "top 10 most popular alternative political movements worldwide."[8] Opinion columns in The News & Observer have been favorable toward the party.[4]
Name and logo
The leaders of the Modern Whig Party state a desire to connect with the historical Whig values of a government that represents and is responsive to the people, with specific opposition to the two-party system.[9]
The Modern Whig Party logo is an owl, and the party colors are blue and buff.
Political platform
For accurate information on the official platform of The Modern Whig Party of America, please refer to the Platform section of the party's national website. [10]
Membership
The Modern Whigs have a national headquarters and an executive committee based in Washington, D.C.[11] The Modern Whig Party claims about 30,000 members nationally, although that number is known to primarily count those who register on the party's web site.[12]
The Modern Whig Party announced its first electoral victory when one of its members, Ken Belcher, won election as Constable of Lee County, Alabama on the Democratic ticket. In its first authentic electoral test, Gene L. Baldassari sought a seat in the New Jersey Assembly, representing its Fourteenth District, in the November 2, 2009, general election. He received 738 votes for just over 0.6 percent of the vote.[13]
Immediately after the election of November 4, 2008, a push began to attract moderate and conservative Democrats, and members of the Republican Party (GOP) who felt disenchanted with both the GOP's failings and its perception as moving further to the right.[14]
On December 12–13, 2009, the Modern Whig Party held its first national leadership council meeting in Washington, D.C.; fourteen people were in attendance.[12]
On November 5, 2013, Robert Bucholz, running on the Modern Whig Party ticket, was elected as Judge of Election for the Fifth Division in Philadelphia's 56th Ward. He beat Democrat Loretta Probasco by 36 votes to 24.[15][16] He is the first Whig to be elected to office in any state in nearly 160 years.[17][18]
According to the Modern Whigs chairman, Bucholz is the party’s second elected official nationwide after J. Brendan Galligan won a school-board position in Westfield, New Jersey, last year.
The next Modern Whig Party National Convention will take place over May 20-22, 2016, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
State and territorial affiliates with ballot access
- in 2009: New Jersey Chapter[19]
References
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Record of Florida Whig Party at Florida Department of State Division of Elections website
- ↑ "Modern Whig Party has Appeal to Some Troops: No Candidates Yet, but with Moderate Stance, it's Starting to Catch On" as published in the Marine Corps Times, Army Times and Air Force Times newspapers in June 2008
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Our story
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ WKOB Eyewitness News 4
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ [1][dead link]
- ↑ "Republicans are Bald, Put on your Whigs" by Kyle Munzenrieder on Nov. 7, 2008 in Miami New Times
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