Fringe Candidates Filing for President at 2x Rate of 2012 Cycle
112 Americans are already running for president in 2016 – twice the number as at this stage of the cycle four years ago; Republican filers outnumber Democrats by more than 2:1
While political junkies still need to wait several more months before top-tier Democrats and Republicans start to file their official paperwork for the 2016 presidential election, the Federal Election Commission has remained quite busy processing candidate filings from lesser-known Americans in recent months.
Could the swell in candidate filings be a sign of rising dissatisfaction with the federal government?
Or is it merely a reflection of the fact that the 2016 cycle is an open seat race with Obama completing his second term?
Whatever the cause, the last two years have seen a massive uptick in the number of 2016 filers compared to this stage of the 2012 cycle.
A Smart Politics analysis of FEC Statement of Candidacy filings through July 13th finds that exactly twice as many Americans have filed to run for president in the 2016 cycle (112) as compared to four years ago at this time (56).
Each presidential candidate is required to file a Statement of Candidacy to the FEC within 15 days of becoming a candidate.
While north of 300 such filings were processed for the 2012 campaign, only 56 had been filed at the FEC through July 13, 2010.
Twice as many Americans have announced their presidential candidacy for the 2016 cycle – although it’s unlikely you’ve heard of any of them.
So, just who are these people?
Republicans Leading the Charge
Rumored top-tier presidential candidates for the 2016 cycle find substantially more Republican names being floated than Democrats, where Hillary Clinton is seen to be crowding out most would-be candidates.
Among lesser-known candidates, Republicans are also running in much greater number.
Of the 112 candidates to file thus far, more than one-third are Republicans (38, or 33.9 percent).
That is more than twice the number of Democrats, who count 18 filers to date, or 16.1 percent of all candidates.
More than two-thirds of the Republican candidates hail from states carried by Obama in the 2012 election with just 12 from Romney states: five from Texas and one each from Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, and West Virginia.
Two candidates attempted to bridge the partisan divide by filing as “Democrat & Republican” – Doris Cintron of San Diego and Daniel Lane Dean of Los Angeles.
Dean’s campaign committee is appropriately named, “Let’s Unite America.”
A total of 25 candidates filed as independents (22.3 percent) while 16 did not list their affiliation (14.3 percent).
One candidate filed from the Green, Libertarian, Reform, Socialist Democrat, and Tea Parties as well as one each from All Mother Earth, America’s Third Party, Anti-Hypocrisy, Bull Moose, Inspiration, Priorities, Revolutionary, and Work parties.
Men, Men, Men…
As has been the case for top-tier presidential candidates over the decades, an overwhelming majority of presidential filers so far have been men.
Through Sunday, 87 of the 112 presidential early birds are men, or 77.7 percent, with just 25 women.
Less than a quarter of the female filers were Republican (six of 25) compared to 42 percent of the males (32 of 77).
Among the colorful candidates running for president in 2016:
· Democrat James “Titus the Great” Law of Torrance, California
· Republican Tim “Texas Slim” Day of Galveston Island, Texas
· Democrat President Emperor Caesar of Cape Coral, Florida
· Revolutionary Party candidate President Princess Khadijah M. Jacob-Fambro of San Francisco
· Independent candidate Rev. Father John Boydson of Springfield Colorado who included a photocopy of his calling card, praying hands on the footer of his application, and a quote from Numbers (“The Lord bless thee and keep thee.”)
Boydson was not the only candidate to inject religion on his declaration of candidacy.
Unaffiliated candidate Andre Ventura of Detroit announced who would be the VP on his ticket as follows:
Running Mate
Name: God
Address: Omni Present
Phone: Prayer
If At First You Don’t Succeed…
While none of these presidential candidates are household names, for many this is not their first rodeo.
In fact, 52 of the 112 men and women to file thus far have filed to run for president a combined 102 times in previous election cycles.
A total of 45 candidates running for president in 2016 also filed in 2012, with 22 doing so in 2008, 11 in 2004, 14 in 2000, and 10 in 1996.
Two early birds have already filed for the 2020 cycle: Republican Timothy Kalemkarian and Libertarian Kip Lee (each of whom has filed for every cycle dating back to at least 1996).
The paperwork of independent candidate Joseph Charles of Greater Houston is a bit curious, however, as it states he is running “for reelection” to the office of the presidency.
Charles, who also turned in paperwork in each of the previous five presidential election cycles since 1996, filed his name as:
Joseph Charles – U.S. President “of Royalty’s” of the U.S.A. – for Reelection
And his campaign committee is named:
I, President Joseph Charles of the U.S.A. – At Present
Is Your Neighbor Running for President?
The 112 filers hail from 34 different states plus the District of Columbia.
Not surprisingly, the nation’s most heavily-populated states tend to produce the largest number of these fringe, lesser-known, and perennial candidates.
California leads the way with 17 filing thus far for the 2016 cycle, followed by Florida at 15, Texas at 11, Michigan at seven, and New York and Pennsylvania with five.
Rounding out the Top 10 are Washington, D.C. and Virginia with four and Arizona, Maryland, and North Carolina with three each.
Sixteen states have yet to see one of its residents throw his or her hat in the presidential ring at this point in the cycle: Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Wyoming.
Grab Bag…
· Very few of these little-known candidates ever raise much money for their presidential campaigns, however Priorities Party candidate Michael Dwayne Jenkins of Richmond, Virginia is a bit more optimistic about his ability to come up with some money. Jenkins filed with an outdated 2003 version of Form 2 that included a section intended for Senate and House candidates only that asks how much personal funds the candidate plans to expend exceeding the threshold limit. Jenkins filled in $12 million for both the primary and general election!
· When All Mother Earth candidate Todd Wade Willey from Onaway, Michigan was asked to fill out the state and district in which he lives, he wrote, “Planet Earth.”
· Meanwhile, on his initial filing Republican Ezekiel George Crotzer of Midland, Michigan named his Principal Campaign Committee (PCC) “Congress the Congress of the United States.” After the FEC sent Mr. Crotzer a letter informing him he needed to provide more information on his PCC, he sent an amended form stating his committee name was now, “Sarah Palin.”
Note: It will likely be quite a while before the first known candidate enters the presidential fray this cycle.
In the 2012 cycle, former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer was the first big name to file, on March 3, 2011 followed by Tim Pawlenty on March 21st and Barack Obama on April 4th.
In the meantime, stay tuned for other less notable presidential hopefuls as they try to dot their I’s and cross their T’s on their way to a successful FEC filing.
So is someone from your hometown running for president? Check the list:
Presidential Statement of Candidacy Filings, 2016 Cycle
|
Name
|
Party
|
City
|
State
|
Run before
|
|
Jenny Edwards
|
None
|
Jemison
|
AL
|
2000, 2004, 2012
|
|
Katee Edwards
|
None
|
Jemison
|
AL
|
2008, 2012
|
|
Kenneth Robert Cross
|
Reform
|
Batesville
|
AR
|
2008, 2012
|
|
Michael Wayne Diggs
|
Republican
|
Amity
|
AR
|
|
|
Chuck Zeiger
|
None
|
Glendale
|
AZ
|
|
|
Kristi Freeland Dutton
|
Independent
|
Tucson
|
AZ
|
|
|
Roger Jewell
|
Republican
|
Casa Grande
|
AZ
|
1996, 2000, 2008
|
|
Brittany Lauren Clark
|
Democrat
|
Los Angeles
|
CA
|
|
|
Charles Brannan
|
Green
|
Chico
|
CA
|
2008, 2012
|
|
Daniel Lane Dean
|
Democrat & Republican
|
Los Angeles
|
CA
|
|
|
Doris Cintron
|
Democrat & Republican
|
San Diego
|
CA
|
|
|
Doug Shreffler
|
Democrat
|
Port Hueneme
|
CA
|
|
|
Eric Scott Cavanaugh
|
Republican
|
Sonora
|
CA
|
|
|
James "Titus the Great" Law
|
Democrat
|
Torrance
|
CA
|
|
|
James Orlando Ogle
|
Democrat
|
Monterey
|
CA
|
1996, 2012
|
|
Jerry Leon Carroll
|
None
|
Stockton
|
CA
|
1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012
|
|
John Albert Dummett
|
Republican
|
Foresthill
|
CA
|
2012
|
|
Kip Lee
|
Libertarian
|
Redding
|
CA
|
1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2020
|
|
Matthew David Pinnavaia
|
None
|
Oceanside
|
CA
|
2008, 2012
|
|
Nicholas Alexander Sopkovich
|
Democrat
|
Newport Beach
|
CA
|
|
|
Philip Bralich
|
Democrat
|
Monterey
|
CA
|
|
|
President Princess Khadijah M. Jacob-Fambro
|
Revolutionary
|
San Francisco
|
CA
|
2012
|
|
Temperance Alesha Lance-Council
|
Anti-Hypocrisy
|
Pacific Palisades
|
CA
|
2000, 2004, 2008, 2012
|
|
Timothy Charles Kalemkarian
|
Republican
|
Westlake Village
|
CA
|
1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2020
|
|
Father John Boydson
|
Independent
|
Springfield
|
CO
|
2000, 2004, 2008
|
|
Eric James Borrell
|
Independent
|
Washington
|
D.C.
|
|
|
Samuel Lyndell Powell
|
Independent
|
Washington
|
D.C.
|
2008, 2012
|
|
Sherlene D. Stephens
|
Republican
|
Washington
|
D.C.
|
|
|
Tyrone Julius
|
Republican
|
Washington
|
D.C.
|
2012
|
|
Donald Sauter
|
None
|
Dover
|
DE
|
1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012
|
|
Angie McCall
|
None
|
Titusville
|
FL
|
|
|
Brian Patrick Ketterer Russell
|
Republican
|
Ponte Vedra Beach
|
FL
|
|
|
Christin Noel Griskie
|
Republican
|
Panama Beach City
|
FL
|
2012
|
|
Dwayne Alan Tomlinson
|
Republican
|
Wauchula
|
FL
|
|
|
Elaine Whigham Williams
|
Democrat
|
Orlando
|
FL
|
|
|
Josue LaRose
|
Republican
|
Deerfield Beach
|
FL
|
|
|
Michael Alan Steinberg
|
Democrat
|
Tampa
|
FL
|
|
|
Patrick Stephen McKart
|
Democrat
|
Fort Myers
|
FL
|
|
|
Paul Chehade
|
Independent
|
Miami
|
FL
|
2012
|
|
Paul Edward Tape, Jr.
|
Tea Party
|
Trenton
|
FL
|
|
|
President Emperor Caesar
|
"Democrate"
|
Cape Coral
|
FL
|
2008, 2012
|
|
Stuart Ross Farber
|
Independent
|
Orlando
|
FL
|
|
|
Terry Jones
|
None
|
Gainesville
|
FL
|
2012
|
|
Tony Mullikin
|
None
|
Titusville
|
FL
|
|
|
Yinka Abosede Adeshina
|
Republican
|
Tallahassee
|
FL
|
2012
|
|
Patrick Anthony Drake
|
Republican
|
Grayson
|
GA
|
2012
|
|
Angelo Yoshannah Scrigna
|
Democrat
|
Pahoa
|
HI
|
|
|
Ronald Durphy Menard
|
Independent
|
Honolulu
|
HI
|
2012
|
|
Doris V. Walker
|
None
|
Chicago
|
IL
|
|
|
John Graham Schwartz
|
None
|
Park Ridge
|
IL
|
|
|
James Robert Byers
|
Independent
|
Elkhart
|
IN
|
|
|
Todd Richard Glore
|
Independent
|
Fort Wayne
|
IN
|
2012
|
|
Shawna Joy Martinez
|
Independent
|
Sharpsburg
|
KY
|
|
|
Paul W. Debow
|
Republican
|
Natchitoches
|
LA
|
|
|
Don Larance Rondeau
|
Independent
|
Gaithersburg
|
MD
|
|
|
Michael Wayne Hubbell
|
Independent
|
Lexington Park
|
MD
|
|
|
Victor Bryan Walker
|
Independent
|
Timonium
|
MD
|
2012
|
|
Andre Ventura
|
None
|
Detroit
|
MI
|
2008
|
|
Bartholomew James Lower
|
Republican
|
Ionia
|
MI
|
|
|
Cherunda Lynn Fox
|
Republican
|
Detroit
|
MI
|
|
|
Eugene Rosell Hunt
|
Republican
|
Gaylord
|
MI
|
2012
|
|
Ezekiel George Crotzer
|
Republican
|
Midland
|
MI
|
|
|
Paul Benjamin-Dielman Cannady
|
Independent
|
Lexington Park
|
MI
|
|
|
Todd Wade Willey
|
All Mother Earth
|
Onaway
|
MI
|
|
|
Ole Savior
|
Republican
|
Minneapolis
|
MN
|
2008, 2012
|
|
George Brent Bailey
|
Republican
|
Clinton
|
MS
|
2008, 2012
|
|
David Quinn Hendrix
|
Independent
|
Gastonia
|
NC
|
|
|
Robert Carr Wells
|
Independent
|
Charlotte
|
NC
|
2012
|
|
Steve Allen Dillon
|
Unaffiliated
|
Belhaven
|
NC
|
|
|
Michael Wayne Kinlaw
|
Republican
|
Williston
|
ND
|
|
|
David Christopher Holcomb
|
Independent (Christian)
|
Springfield
|
NE
|
2012
|
|
Jeffrey Boss
|
Democrat
|
Guttenberg
|
NJ
|
2008, 2012
|
|
Rome Murphy II
|
Democrat
|
Ewing
|
NJ
|
|
|
Kerry Dale Bowers
|
Republican
|
Henderson
|
NV
|
|
|
Brenda Dawn Justice
|
Republican
|
Astoria
|
NY
|
|
|
Kins Jeroboan
|
Republican
|
Jamaica
|
NY
|
|
|
Michael Dename
|
Independent
|
Brooklyn
|
NY
|
2012
|
|
Silvia Stagg
|
Republican
|
Niagara Falls
|
NY
|
2011-2032; 2012-2024
|
|
Zachary Tarlow
|
None
|
Northport
|
NY
|
|
|
Amy Conger
|
None
|
Westlake
|
OH
|
|
|
Daniel Robert Owens
|
Democrat
|
Ashland
|
OR
|
|
|
Mark Alexander Paul Keller
|
Republican
|
Aloha
|
OR
|
|
|
Brian Cole
|
Republican
|
Hollidaysburg
|
PA
|
|
|
Jerry Leonard
|
Republican
|
Harrisburg
|
PA
|
|
|
Loretta Lax Miller
|
Democrat
|
Highspire
|
PA
|
2012
|
|
Mike Benjamin Martisko
|
Republican
|
Point Marion
|
PA
|
2000, 2008, 2012
|
|
Thomas Francis Winterbottom
|
Democrat
|
Pottstwon
|
PA
|
2000, 2004
|
|
Jacob Baker
|
Work Party
|
Greenville
|
SC
|
|
|
Vincent Charles Jones
|
Bull Moose Party
|
Charleston
|
SC
|
|
|
Mark Joseph Dutter
|
Independent
|
Spearfish
|
SD
|
|
|
Deborah Mae MacKimzey
|
Independent
|
Bryan
|
TX
|
|
|
John Anson Lee
|
Republican
|
Houston
|
TX
|
2012
|
|
Joseph Charles
|
Independent
|
Greater Houston
|
TX
|
1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012
|
|
Karin Lynn Swanson
|
Socialist Democrat
|
Amarillo
|
TX
|
2012
|
|
Lee L. Mercer Jr.
|
Democrat
|
Houston
|
TX
|
2008, 2012
|
|
Mr. and/or Mrs. James McCord Sewell III
|
Independent
|
Houston
|
TX
|
|
|
Pogo Mochello Allen-Reese
|
Republican
|
Sugar Land
|
TX
|
|
|
Sammy Murel Brown
|
Republican
|
Kountze
|
TX
|
1996
|
|
Tiffani El Dawn Mimms
|
Republican
|
Cedar Hills
|
TX
|
|
|
Tim “Texas Slim” Day
|
Republican
|
Galveston Island
|
TX
|
2012
|
|
Willie Felix Carter
|
Democrat
|
Fort Worth
|
TX
|
2000, 2004, 2008, 2012
|
|
Mark Pendleton
|
Independent
|
Salt Lake City
|
UT
|
2012
|
|
Robert Fane Lehigh
|
Inspiration
|
Salt Lake City
|
UT
|
|
|
Eddie McDowell
|
Republican
|
Richmond
|
VA
|
1996
|
|
Jefferson Woodson Sherman
|
Republican
|
Springfield
|
VA
|
|
|
Michael Dwayne Jenkins
|
Priorities Party
|
Richmond
|
VA
|
1996, 2000
|
|
Sheila “Samm” Tittle
|
Independent
|
Fredericksburg
|
VA
|
2012
|
|
David Jon Sponheim
|
America’s Third Party
|
Oak Harbor
|
WA
|
2012
|
|
June La’Gay Lloyd
|
Independent
|
Seattle
|
WA
|
|
|
John Theodore Schiess
|
Republican
|
Rice Lake
|
WI
|
|
|
Lowell Jackson Fellure
|
Republican
|
Hurricane
|
WV
|
2000, 2004, 2008, 2012
|
|
Tami L. Stainfield
|
None
|
Charleston
|
WV
|
2012
|
Note: Through July 13, 2014. Table compiled by Smart Politics with information from FEC filings.
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