American Constitution Party (Colorado)

Last updated
American Constitution Party
FoundedJuly 23, 2000
Headquarters Fort Lupton, Colorado
Membership (2020)10,806 [1]
Ideology American nationalism
National conservatism
Social conservatism
Christian right
Paleoconservatism
Political position Right to Far-right
National affiliation Constitution Party
State Senate
0 / 35
State House
0 / 65
Website
http://www.americanconstitutionparty.com

The American Constitution Party (ACN) is one of the state of Colorado's political parties. It is affiliated with the national-level Constitution Party, a conservative political party in the United States that says it bases most of its policy positions on the Constitution. [2] The party asserts that the US is a Christian nation founded on the Bible and that American jurisprudence should be restored to what the party claims is its "Biblical foundations". [3] The ACN qualified for major party status in Colorado after receiving more than 36% of the vote in the 2010 gubernatorial election. [4] As the party did not field a candidate in the 2014 election, it reverted to minor party status. [5]

Contents

Background

The American Constitution Party registered as a political party with the state of Colorado on July 23, 2000. [6] In July 2013, the ACN had just over 7,000 registered Colorado voters affiliated with it. [7] Some of the party's positions include:

ACN members ... call for the abolition of the Food and Drug Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the departments of Education and Energy and the Federal Election Commission. They seek the repeal of a number of laws, including one aimed at preventing threats and force against abortion clinics and women seeking abortions and a 1960s-era law meant to end discriminatory election practices. [8]

For most of its existence, the ACN has existed as one of Colorado's "minor parties", and has never elected one of its candidates to office.

Party platform

The American Constitution Party of Colorado seeks to: [8]

The ACN is affiliated with the national-level Constitution Party, which has developed a party platform as well. [9]

2010 Colorado gubernatorial election

Former Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo ran as the party's candidate for Colorado governor in 2010 after the campaign of Republican Party nominee Dan Maes collapsed politically. He won around 36% of the vote, receiving more than 2.5 times the vote of Republican Party nominee Maes. [10] Democratic candidate John Hickenlooper won the election with just over 51% of the vote.

County results for the 2010 gubernatorial election
Hickenlooper:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%
Tancredo:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%
Maes:      30-40% 2010 Colorado gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results for the 2010 gubernatorial election
Hickenlooper:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Tancredo:     30–40%     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Maes:     30–40%
Colorado gubernatorial election (2010) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic John Hickenlooper912,00551.01%-5.97%
Constitution Tom Tancredo651,23236.43%+35.80%
Republican Dan Maes199,03411.13%-29.03%
Libertarian Jaimes Brown13,3140.74%-0.75%
Independent Jason R. Clark8,5760.48%
Independent Paul Fiorino3,4830.19%
Write-ins860.00%
Majority260,77314.59%-2.24%
Turnout 1,787,730
Democratic hold Swing

Context and aftermath

Under state law, the American Constitution Party's vote share in the 2010 gubernatorial election elevated the party from "minor" to "major" party status. Any party that earns 10% or more of the votes cast for governor is a defined under statute as a "major party". Major party status gives the party a place at or near the top of the ballot in the 2014 gubernatorial election.

However, because of the additional organizational, financial, and compliance requirements triggered by major party status, ACN leaders were ambivalent about the change. [12] [13]

After the election, Tancredo quickly rejoined the Republican Party, disappointing an ACN leadership struggling to contend with major party status and how to successfully leverage the increased attention the party had received because of his candidacy. [14]

The party effectively relinquished its 'major party' status by the 2014 gubernatorial election, by virtue of not running or fielding a candidate. [5]

Best results in major races

OfficePercent (%)DistrictYearCandidateRef
Governor36.38%Statewide 2010 Tom Tancredo [15]
3.62% 1994 Kevin Swanson [16]
0.86% 2022 Danielle Neuschwanger [17]
US Senate2.56% 2008 Douglass Campbell [18]
1.52% 2002 [19]
0.89% 2004 [20]
US House4.66% CO 4 2010 Doug Aden [21]
4.30% CO 5 2012 Kenneth R. Harvell [22]
3.78% CO 4 2000 Leslie Hanks [23]
State senate15.19%SD 122012James Michael Bristol [24]
9.51%SD 10Christopher Mull
5.08%SD 312010Clifton Powell [25]
State house15.91%HD 212012Sean Halstead [26]
13.86%HD 16David Rawe
11.50%HD 15Michael Edstrom

Recent electoral history

Although the American Constitution Party's political and organizational sophistication did not grow despite the attention brought to it by Tancredo's 2010 gubernatorial candidacy, the party fielded more candidates in the 2010 and 2012 cycles than it had in the entirety of the previous decade. [27]

In the 2022 elections, the party fielded candidates in races for US House, in Districts 2, 4 and 5, as well as in statewide elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and in District 8 for the Board of Education. All were unsuccessful, recording less than 1% of the vote in most of these races. [28] [29]

Candidates fielded 2002-2014
Election YearOfficeName
2014Adams County SheriffJames Fariello
2014Mesa County AssessorSteve Henderson
2013Steamboat Springs School BoardJoseph Andrew
2012Adams County CommissionerJames Fariello
2012Colorado House, District 14Ryan Dyer
2012Colorado House, District 14Thomas O'dell
2012Colorado House, District 15Michael Edstrom
2012Colorado House, District 16David Rawe
2012Colorado House, District 17Barry Pace
2012Colorado House, District 18Amy Fedde
2012Colorado House, District 19Timothy Biolchini
2012Colorado House, District 20Donna Burdick
2012Colorado House, District 21Sean Halstead
2012Colorado House, District 61Robert Petrowsky
2012Colorado Senate, District 10Christopher Mull
2012Colorado Senate, District 12James Bristol
2012CU Regent, At-LargeTyler Belmont
2012CU Regent, At-LargeBrian Scott
2012CU Regent, District 5Gina Biolchini
2012El Paso County CommissionerKathy Payne
2010Adams County SheriffJames Fariello
2010Colorado Senate, District 31Clifton Powell
2010GovernorBenjamin Goss
2010GovernorTom Tancredo
2010Lt. GovernorPatricia Miller
2010Motezuma County SheriffGerald Wallace
2010Secretary of StateAmanda Campbell
2008Colorado House, District 27Amanda Campbell
2008Colorado House, District 37Brian Olds
2008Park County CommissionerZdenko Novkovic
2006Colorado House, District 53Darren Morrison
2006Colorado Senate, District 16Tim Leonard
2006CU Regent, At-LargeDouglas "Dayhorse" Campbell
2006GovernorClyde Harkins
2006La Plata County CommissionerPadraig Lynch
2006Lt. GovernorTracy Davison
2002Attorney GeneralGaar Potter
2002Colorado HousePaul Berthelot
2002Colorado House, District 57Dr. Zane Newitt
2002Lt. GovernorDesiree Hickson

See also

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