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Green Gubernatorial Campaigns Create State Party Foundation. |
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THE GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES GREEN GUBERNATORIAL CAMPAIGNS CREATE STATE PARTY
FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Green Party is running 15
gubernatorial races this year, more than ever before. Many of these
races have drawn significant attention because Green candidates avoid
negative attack ads and offer substantive and detailed proposals to
solve problems that their states face. "With this campaign, we have brought new constituencies into the political process: youth and dissident union members," said Aronowitz, Professor of Sociology at the City University of New York. "Since we are the only party on the ballot to oppose the militarization of our national government and the impending war against Iraq, we have won the support of most peace activists and many in the Arab-American communities of our state." Dr. Jill Stein, the Green candidate for Governor of Massachusetts, agreed. "My campaign in Massachusetts has focused on building a broad-based coalition to take on the ruling party here: the Big Money Party," said Stein, who lives in Lexington, MA. "Democrats and Republicans alike have been abusing the voters of the Commonwealth for much too long. My call for fair taxes, universal health care, and living wage jobs in a new, clean energy economy is inspiring people to look at the governor's race in a new light. We have attracted people who have long been apolitical, we've attracted conservatives, and we have brought a ton of young people into the process." Stein has participated in numerous televised debates and has received endorsements from ten newspapers. Either she or State Treasurer candidate James O'Keefe need 3% to keep the Green line in Massachusetts. In Minnesota, Ken Pentel is running a four-way race in a state where the current governor is an independent and the Green Party's major party status, as well as seed donations, qualified the Pentel campaign for $250,000 in campaign funds from the state. "My campaign has reached out to a broad constituency through our diverse staff, TV ads and programs," said Pentel. "Our TV ads are humorous, but with a serious message based on exploding Green Party myths." Either Pentel, Dave Berger (candidate for State Auditor), or Andrew Koebrick (for Secretary of State) must achieve 5% to preserve major party status in Minnesota. In Colorado, gubernatorial candidate Ron Forthofer spoke at a rally in opposition to a proposition which threatens bilingual education. "Despite an almost total news blackout of my campaign in the state, particularly in the Denver metro area, we have had some successes with labor and minority communities. We are planting the seeds for future Green Party candidates and have helped to establish the credibility of the Green Party in Colorado." Colorado Greens don't need a specific vote for Forthofer to keep their ballot line, but his campaign continues to take the Green Party to communities that were not familiar with it before. MORE INFORMATION search: elct |
