Virgil Goode 2012 presidential campaign

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Virgil Goode for President
Campaign2012 United States presidential election
CandidateVirgil Goode
U.S. House of Representative from Virginia
(1997–2009)
AffiliationConstitution Party
HeadquartersRocky Mount, Virginia
Key peopleJim Clymer (running mate)
Lucy Goode (treasurer)
ReceiptsUS$194,621 (2012-08-31)
SloganCitizenship Matters
Website
Virgil Goode for President (archived)

The Virgil Goode presidential campaign of 2012 began when former U.S. Congressman Virgil Goode of Virginia announced his decision to seek the 2012 presidential nomination of the Constitution Party in February 2012. During the nomination campaign, he put forth a four-point plank that included his plans to restrict immigration, balance the federal budget, decrease the size of government, and institute congressional term limits.

After winning the Constitution Party's presidential nomination on the first ballot at the party's April 2012 national convention, Goode chose outgoing party chairman Jim Clymer as his running mate. The ticket coordinated ballot access efforts to add to the 16 states on which they had already qualified. Goode focused on his home state of Virginia, where polls showed the ticket with five to nine percent support.

During the general election campaign, Goode participated in numerous media interviews and debated other third-party candidates. He continuously faced criticism that his campaign would act as a "spoiler", taking votes from presumptive

Political Action Committees, Goode cast himself as a grassroots "average citizen" that offered a distinct choice for voters outside of "Tweedledum and Tweedledee
".

On

Election Day
, Goode appeared on 26 state ballots and was a write-in in an additional 18 states. He finished in fifth place with 122,001 votes for 0.09% of the total popular vote.

Background

Official Congressional photo of Virgil Goode.

Before the 2012 election cycle, Virgil Goode, a Virginia native, had an extensive political career spanning four decades and three political affiliations. His career began in 1973, when, after serving in the

1998, Goode damaged relations with his party after supporting three of the four articles of impeachment against Democratic President Bill Clinton. Goode left the Democratic Party shortly thereafter, and once again became an independent.[3]

As an independent in the House, Goode caucused with Republicans and was given a spot on the

2010,[10] but he ultimately decided not to run.[11]

Early stages

Immediately following Goode's 2008 congressional loss, the Independent Political Report reported that sources within the Constitution Party speculated Goode would join their party and seek their 2012 presidential nomination.[12] Over the next two years, he expressed interest in the party. In June 2009, he spoke at the Constitution Party's National Committee meeting,[13] and was the keynote speaker at the May 2010 meeting. At the latter meeting, he paid the party's $35 dues and officially joined. Despite this, he remained a member of Republican Party as well and continued to pay dues to the Franklin County GOP. However, he later told The Daily Progress that his views were in greater accord with the Constitution Party on such issues as support for Arizona SB 1070 and opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement.[14]

Logo from the early stages of Goode's candidacy

Shortly after joining, Goode moved up in the Constitution Party ranks. Party founder and Virginia chairman

South Korea–United States Free Trade Agreement.[19] In April 2011, after Goode delivered a speech at a Constitution Party meeting, the Constitution Party National Committee unanimously passed a resolution asking him to seek their presidential nomination.[20] In a press release, the party said that he had "expressed a strong interest" in the nomination.[21] Thereafter, Goode told The Roanoke Times that he would "consider it as the year progresses".[22] Clymer informed the publication that "There's nothing that I can see now that would prevent him from getting the nomination were he to say he indeed wants it."[22]

In reaction to the possibility, Goode's 2008 congressional campaign manager Tucker Watkins said Goode would be an upgrade from the Constitution Party's 2008 nominee

Old Virginia accent could hurt his chances with the American audience.[22] Political strategist David Saunders speculated that if Goode chose to run, he would take votes away from the Republicans in Virginia and possibly sway the state to the Democrats.[22]

In November 2011, the

Department of Education, defense, and foreign aid; continued arguments against free trade agreements and immigration; and added his support for term limits in Congress. When asked about a presidential run, Goode commented, "I'll let people know [about a run] next year, by January or February.... We've got sure disaster with Obama, and it's only prolonged a little with the Republicans. But tough choices have to be made. The Constitution Party offers the best choice out there."[23]

Nomination campaign

On February 10, 2012, Goode's wife and campaign treasurer Lucy filed papers with the

During his announcement, Goode noted that Federal Hall was where George Washington was sworn in as the first president in 1789. He listed the four planks of his platform including the return to limited government, which he asserted as forming the basis under which Washington and others founded the nation. In his call for a balanced federal budget, he argued, "we cannot wait five to ten years in the future to have a balanced budget; we must do that now." Moreover, he reaffirmed his plans to stop illegal immigration and reduce legal immigration, and again referenced Washington and the early congress in his endorsement for congressional term limits.[28] On the same day as the announcement, Josh Krasuhaar of The Atlantic wrote an article describing Goode as the "prototype" of a successful third-party candidate. Though Krasuhaar conceded Goode's chances were slim, he argued that Goode as a populist, "would have the potential to get support from a swath of voters who would see both President Obama and Mitt Romney as elites disconnected from the concerns of working-class Americans".[29]

In the days following the announcement, Goode received little media attention. However, he was featured in a

Richmond Times Dispatch article referring to him as "Mr. Independent",[30] and Wikinews published an interview with him in which he discussed his support for the Keystone Pipeline.[31]

Ahead of the National Convention, Goode participated in a

U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan-sponsored debate on March 31 with fellow Constitution Party candidates Robby Wells, Susan Ducey, and Laurie Roth.[32] In an interview with The Roanoke Times after the debate, Goode judged the upcoming nomination as "a wide open affair [that] could go to any of the candidates".[33] The Constitution Party chairman of Virginia Mitch Turner observed that Goode had an advantage over the other candidates as a former federal officeholder, but held the experience could also be construed as a disadvantage since purist party members might oppose him due to his votes in favor of military interventions and the USA PATRIOT Act.[33]

National convention

The 2012 Constitution Party National Convention was held April 18–21 in Nashville, Tennessee. Just prior to the nomination, 2008 vice presidential nominee Darrell Castle decided to enter the race, saying several convention delegates had urged him to run.[34] Despite this, Goode was still able to win the nomination on the first ballot with 203 delegates. Castle came in second with 120, followed by Wells with 58, Ducey with 15, and Roth with 6.[35] Goode became the party's first presidential nominee to have held elected office in the federal government.[36]

In his acceptance speech, Goode thanked his opponents, and presented himself as an alternative to President Obama and presumptive Republican presidential nominee

No Child Left Behind", and foreign aid, as well as auditing the Federal Reserve, and ending Diversity Visas
. In addition, he mentioned his time in Congress, highlighting his pro-life stance on abortion while expressing regret for his PATRIOT Act vote. To conclude the address, Goode discussed his campaign's refusal to accept PAC money and donations over $200, and proclaimed:

It's time that the average citizen had the same voice in government as the Oracle of Omaha, the head of Google, the head of Facebook and all those entities. Let's stand up for the average citizen and not the special few. Let's elect me and the Constitution Party's ticket in 2012 and we will give America the change that it is needed and it won't be the Barack Obama change of 2008.[37]

Immediately following the speech, Goode spoke to Uncovered Politics about his proposals to improve the American economy. He listed a balanced federal budget as a "top priority" and said immigration should be limited to save "jobs for American citizens first".[38]

Afterward, for the vice presidential nomination, the Constitution Party delegates picked Jim Clymer, Goode's preferred choice whose term as party chairman was expiring.[39] In his acceptance speech, he said that his nomination was unexpected and that he looked forward to the campaign with both trepidation and eagerness. He referred to Goode as a "statesman", and expressed his belief that "we [The Constitution Party] have a presidential candidate who will carry the values of this party effectively ... has the ability to attract a wide segment of people ... and who has the credibility." Lastly, he called on supporters and party volunteers for assistance in ballot access efforts.[40] By the end of the convention, the party had attained access in 16 states: Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.[41][42] According to The Roanoke Times, Clymer, a native of Pennsylvania, planned to personally focus on ballot access drives in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey.[36]

General election

Goode returned home after the convention, and participated in Constitution Party ballot access efforts in Virginia. Throughout the campaign, Goode focused much of his efforts on Virginia, driving around the state in his

national presidential debates, though he said it was a "tough row to hoe" due to the Commission on Presidential Debates's[45] inclusion criteria of having enough ballot access to theoretically win the election and holding an average of 15 percent support in at least five national polls.[46] Despite securing a spot on the New Mexico ballot to increase the ticket's total of ballot-qualified states to 17,[47] the first criterion had not yet been met. Furthermore, by this point, Goode had not been included in any national polls, and so did not meet the second criterion either. Nevertheless, he did register five percent support in a late-April Public Policy Polling survey of Virginia voters.[48] Though short of the debate requirements, if replicated in the election, it would meet scholar Walter Dean Burnham's five percent threshold for successful third party runs.[49]

Exposure

In May, The Des Moines Register published an article titled, "Third Parties Goode News For Obama", which speculated Goode would draw votes from Romney, particularly in the swing state of Virginia, and thus help Obama win the election.[50] The "spoiler" label followed Goode throughout the campaign, but he maintained he would take votes from both Romney and Obama, and felt confident in his ability to win.[51] He reflected this sentiment during a May 13 interview on C-SPAN's Washington Journal, saying that he wanted to give voters a choice, and hoped to take enough votes from both the Republicans and Democrats in order to win the election. In addition, during the interview, to highlight his support for term limits, Goode announced that if elected, he would only seek one term; in contrast to President Obama, whom Goode criticized for focusing too much on re-election rather than effective policy.[52]

Goode collects signatures for his Virginia ballot access petition in May 2012.

After Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage in May, Goode held a press conference in

social security as a consequence of same-sex marriage benefits.[53] He was also concerned about the effect on health insurance costs and state retirement plans. Moreover, Goode attacked Romney's record on the issue, referring to him as "the father of homosexual marriages" because of his issuance of same-sex marriage licenses during his term as governor of Massachusetts.[54]
Economic matters remained central to the Goode campaign.

Near the end of May, John Long, a columnist for The Roanoke Times compared Goode's campaign to the role of

On

Weapons of Mass Destruction, and used a tone "a bit off for someone who is leading a party that truly advocates a humble foreign policy" when arguing the U.S. "send Iran a clear message that if we are assaulted, we will meet it and trump it".[61] Discussing the comments, Antle's fellow American Conservative writer Daniel Lairson concluded "it doesn't make for much of a protest candidacy if the third party candidate can't make his differences with the major parties sufficiently clear."[62]

On the campaign trail

The Constitution Party announced in its bimonthly newsletter that Goode would travel to Buffalo and Syracuse at the end of June to coordinate ballot access efforts with the Constitution Party of New York.

Comfort Inn in Roanoke to compare his views on President Obama's policy to not deport certain illegal immigrants, with Romney, who campaigned in nearby Salem. Goode proclaimed, "Unlike Romney, if I am elected President, I will promptly rescind the Obama amnesty order."[66]

Endorsements

At the beginning of July,

It was revealed on July 19 that Goode had collected 14,000 Virginia signatures to surpass the outright 10,000 required to appear on the ballot. As a cushion, Goode expected to submit 20,000 before the August 24 deadline. According to The Washington Post, the

Time Magazine ran an article on Goode on August 1, covering the campaign including a story of Goode nearly missing a speech after helping a dog that a truck had stricken. Discussing his limits on fundraising with Time, Goode asserted, "if you want big money candidates, you've got two great ones running," referencing Romney and Obama.[83] After Goode submitted 20,000 signatures to appear on the Virginia ballot, the Virginia Board of Elections and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli initiated an investigation into alleged petition fraud and forgery,[84] seeing inconsistencies in the ballot and believing many of the signatures collected were fraudulent. The Goode campaign rejected these claims and argued the investigation was politically motivated.[84]

In August, Goode made stops in Kentucky, Illinois, and Iowa before campaigning in the West.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio to discuss illegal immigration and Arpaio's investigation of the authenticity of Barack Obama's birth certificate. He finished his trip with a stop in New Mexico, meeting with leaders of the state Constitution Party to discuss the strategy of the campaign's final two months.[91] After returning home to Virginia, Goode spoke at the annual Labor Day event in Buena Vista.[92] After Labor Day, the Virginia Board of Elections certified Goode for the Virginia ballot despite the ongoing fraud investigation against his campaign.[93] However, facing increased scrutiny, the campaign withdrew its Pennsylvania ballot access drive due to a lack of valid signatures, but secured access in New Jersey, Washington, Minnesota, Iowa,[94] New York, and Louisiana.[95] FEC reports through August showed the campaign raised $15,000, Goode himself added $40,000, and the campaign had $8,430 on hand.[43]

Media campaign

After Labor Day, the Goode campaign launched a media campaign. He was supposed to appear on the September 5 edition of

Special Report with Bret Baier, but it was bumped due to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. After appearing the Ohio Constitution Party State convention, he taped Stossel on September 11 in New York along with fellow presidential candidates Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party and Stewart Alexander of Socialist Party USA. On the episode, which aired September 13, Goode discussed the Constitution Party platform and the debate between the Founding Fathers on term limits. He engaged with Alexander and Johnson on the National Defense Authorization Act and disputed Johnson's claim that Thomas Jefferson smoked cannabis.[96] Goode appeared live on The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell on September 11 and responded to media personality and Romney supporter Donald Trump who tweeted "Republicans must get Virgil Goode out of the race in Virginia. He will take votes away from @MittRomney." Goode said he was "not too scared", and argued that Romney should listen more to "people on the street" than Trump.[97] That same day, Paul Gottfried praised the Goode campaign in an article in The American Conservative.[98] On Constitution Day, September 17, the campaign held a moneybomb. Meanwhile, the campaign secured ballot access in Rhode Island, Alabama, and New Hampshire, raising the total number of ballot-qualified states to 26, the final count.[99] Despite Goode's appearances in the media, Pew Research Center revealed on September 19 that only nine percent of the voters knew of Goode.[100]

Goode speaks to the media.
  Ballot access
  Write-in status
  No ballot access

The Washington Post published a feature on Goode on September 23. It followed Goode on a campaign trip in Virginia, finding "[h]e is his own driver, strategist, scheduler, press man." Throughout the trip, Goode encountered voters concerned that he would take votes that would otherwise go to Romney. He countered this by arguing that he would take votes from both Romney and Obama and that there was little difference between Obama and Romney particularly on immigration. However, during a visit to a barber shop, Goode met with two elderly men, who say they would vote for Goode. Goode hypothesized with The Post that he could possibly win Virginia with 38 percent of the vote.

Electoral College. He argued, "[i]f grassroots America wakes up and says, 'Look, we want someone that's for the U.S. citizen first and for grassroots America,' then they're going to vote for Virgil Goode."[103] That same day, Goode appeared on Washington Journal on C-SPAN, taking questions from callers and host Steve Scully.[104]

Goode began October with a trip to the Wayne County Agricultural Fair in Goldsboro, North Carolina. He then campaigned in South Carolina and Georgia and attended the Florida State Constitution Party Convention. The party qualified for write-in status in many states in which ballot access efforts fell short.[104] Concerns grew about the Goode campaign's impact on the race, particularly in Virginia. State GOP chairman Pat Mullins proclaimed, "A vote for Virgil Goode is a vote for Barack Obama." Goode felt the GOP attacks were an overreaction, arguing that he was more likely to receive votes from "disgruntled Democrats" and non-voters than Republicans.[43] He disputed the "spoiler" label on CNN's The Situation Room, arguing that he was "doing the right thing" by running because it would "help America if we can get a lot of votes". He added that if he were elected president, "it would be a tremendous help" because "it would shake up Washington; an average citizen would be president instead of someone that is backed by the Super PACs." Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus asserted that third-party candidates like Goode would be "non-factors" in the race.[105] Goode spoke before the National Press Club on October 12 and remarked that he was "optimistic" his campaign would have a "strong showing" on Election Day. Again addressing the "spoiler" issue, he held that balancing the federal budget and securing jobs for American citizens were more important issues than who becomes president.[106]

Debate stage

Goode participates in the October 23 debate with Jill Stein, Rocky Anderson, and Gary Johnson.

After the

Libyan Civil War, Goode proclaimed that he would not have been involved without a formal declaration of war from Congress. Hearkening back to his earlier endorsement of the Equal Rights Amendment, Goode expressed support for "equal pay for equal work". Goode criticized Romney for his "flip-flop" on gun rights and said he was the only "candidate in this race that has had consistent and solid top ratings by the Gun Owners of America, NRA, Citizens Defense League, Second Amendment groups."[107]

On October 23,

War on Drugs. Addressing college tuition, he said the United States would be like post-World War I Germany if it expanded the Pell Grant program.[109] A poll of viewers conducted following the debate determined the two candidates that would advance to a later debate. Goode finished in fourth place and so did not advance.[110] After the debate, Goode attended the Tums Fast Relief 500 NASCAR event in Martinsville, Virginia where he handed out campaign literature to those in attendance.[111]

Again with Johnson, Stein, and Anderson, Goode participated in the November 4 third party debate in

Fair Tax that Johnson promoted and said he found the idea intriguing but wanted to bring down the sales tax rate before supporting it. On foreign policy, Goode expressed objection to the U.S. entering into the Kyoto Protocol unless countries like China and India entered as well, stated opposition to all U.S. foreign aid, and supported a reduction in military spending. Specifically, he said he wanted to cut all government programs "across the board" except for veterans services. Moreover, Goode adamantly endorsed the banning of Super PACs, arguing that billionaires and elites had too much influence over the process. Addressing the wasted vote theory, Goode exclaimed, "if that's your philosophy, go ahead and vote for Obama and Romney; it's not a dime's worth of difference between them!" He offered "if you want someone with heart, soul, and conviction, vote for Virgil Goode or consider one of these three candidates [at the debate]."[112]

Wikinews afforded Goode, Anderson, and Tom Hoefling (candidates excluded from the second Free and Equal Debate) the opportunity to give their "final plea" to voters on the eve of Election Day. Goode wrote:

Virgil Goode is the only candidate who will stop illegal immigration and block automatic citizenship for children born in the US of illegal aliens. He is also the only candidate who will protect jobs for US citizens by stopping so many green card holders from entering the United States. Lastly, he will work to stop the domination by Big Money PACs of federal elections. Save America and Vote for Virgil Goode.[113]

Results

On Election Day, November 6, with the Goode–Clymer ticket on the ballot in 26 states and available for write-in in 18 others, Goode received 122,001 votes nationwide, 4,675 of which were write-ins. This constituted 0.09% of the popular vote. Overall, Goode finished fifth among the presidential candidates, behind winner President Barack Obama, runner up Mitt Romney, third place Gary Johnson, and fourth place Jill Stein. For the first time since 2000, the Constitution Party ticket received fewer votes than the Green Party ticket, with the latter receiving 347,239 more votes than the Goode ticket.[114] Goode's vote total and percentage was the lowest for a Constitution Party nominee since Howard Phillips received 98,020 votes in 2000.[115][116] The ticket received its highest percentage in South Dakota, where Goode won 0.65% of the vote. Next highest was Wyoming, where Goode received 0.59%.[117] The ticket won over 2% of the vote in four counties: Franklin County, Virginia (2.58%); Carroll County, Virginia (2.17%); Esmeralda County, Nevada (2.08%); and Craig County, Virginia (2.06%). Franklin County was part of Goode's former congressional district.[118]

Aftermath

Following the election, Goode sent an e-mail to President Obama congratulating him on his victory.

Breitbart, praising Trump's views on immigration and trade.[120]

References

  1. ^ a b "Goode, Virgil H., Jr. – Biographical Information". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  2. ^ Yancey, Dwayne (June 11, 2011). "The philosophical journey of Virgil Goode". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Shear, Michael D.; Tim Craig (December 23, 2006). "Goode Has Often Inspired Political Ire". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  4. ^ Abrams, Jim (January 27, 2000). "Former Democrat Goode says he will join Republican caucus". Associated Press.
  5. ^ "Va. Congressman Fears Election Of 'Many More Muslims'". WRC-TV. December 20, 2006. Archived from the original on January 2, 2007. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  6. ^ "Virgil Goode on the Issues". On the Issues. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  7. ^ "Donors of Ron Paul 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee (Page 1174 of 4711)". Federal Election Commission. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  8. ^ "Donors of Tancredo for a Secure America (Page 398 of 1394)". Federal Election Commission. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  9. ^ "November 2008 Unofficial Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  10. ^ Rucker, Janelle (March 13, 2009). "Goode takes step to run again in 2010". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  11. ^ Wagoner, K.A. (July 27, 2009). "Goode won't seek GOP nod". Martinsville Bulletin. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  12. ^ "The rumors start". Independent Political Report. November 8, 2008. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  13. ^ a b "Former Congressman Tapped for Leadership Role". Constitution Party News Articles. November 19, 2010. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved June 20, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  14. ^ McNeil, Brian (May 6, 2010). "Goode joins 3rd party". The Daily Progress. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  15. ^ Derby, Kevin (February 26, 2011). "Presidential Derby". Sunshine State News. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  16. ^ "Early Constitution Party Presidential Candidate Considerations for 2012". Independent Political Report. February 11, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  17. ^ Bradley, Ken (June 13, 2011). "Goode 'considering' seeking nomination to run for president". The Franklin News Post. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  18. ^ "Virgil Goode to Address Spring Constitution Party National Meeting in Wake of CPAC Controversy". Independent Political Report. February 23, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  19. ^ Goode, Virgil (March 7, 2011). "Trading Away Sovereignty". The American Conservative. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  20. ^ "Constitution Party National Committee Urges Virgil Goode to Seek Its Presidential Nomination". Independent Political Report. May 5, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  21. ^ Leahy, Norman (June 8, 2011). "Virgil Goode for President?". The Washington Examiner. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  22. ^ a b c d e f Adams, Mason (June 10, 2011). "Virgil Goode could run ... for president?". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  23. ^ Holahan, Jane (November 20, 2011). "Constitution Party 'not afraid to make the tough choices'". Lancaster Intelligencer Journal. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  24. ^ "Statement of Organization" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. February 14, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  25. ^ Pershing, Ben (February 16, 2012). "Ex-congressman Virgil Goode eyes presidential bid". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  26. ^ Kelley, Brian (February 18, 2012). "Goode launches presidential bid with Constitution Party". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  27. ^ Winger, Richard (February 17, 2012). "Virgil Goode to Declare Presidency Candidacy in Front of Federal Hall, in New York City, on February 21". Ballot Access News. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
  28. ^ "Video of Virgil Goode's Announcement of Presidential Candidacy". Independent Political Report. March 8, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
  29. ^ Kraushaar, Josh (February 21, 2012). "Virgil Goode: This Is What a Third-Party Candidate Looks Like". The Atlantic. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  30. ^ "Virgil Goode: Mr. Independent". Richmond Times-Dispatch. February 28, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  31. ^ "Wikinews interviews former Congressman Virgil Goode, Constitution Party presidential candidate". Wikinews. February 27, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  32. ^ "Video of Constitution Party Presidential Debate, March 31, 2012". Independent Political Report. April 12, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  33. ^ a b Adams, Mason (April 18, 2012). "Goode could get slot on presidential ticket by this weekend". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  34. ^ "Darrell Castle to Seek Constitution Party Nomination". Independent Political Report. April 20, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  35. ^ Winger, Richard (April 21, 2012). "Constitution Party Nominates Virgil Goode on First Ballot". Ballot Access News. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  36. ^ a b Retting, Arielle (April 22, 2012). "Constitution Party to run Virgil Goode for president". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  37. ^ "Virgil Goode Acceptance Speech Constitution Party Convention". Democracy in Action. April 21, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  38. ^ Richardson, Darcy (April 21, 2012). "INTERVIEW: Balanced Budget, Curbing Immigration Top Priorities for Constitution Party's Nominee". Uncovered Politics. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  39. ^ Cassidy, Austin (April 21, 2012). "Constitution Party Nominates Jim Clymer for Vice-President". Uncovered Politics. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  40. ^ "Jim Clymer – Vice Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech on Vimeo". Vimeo. 16 June 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  41. ^ "Ballot Access". Virgil Goode for President 2012. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  42. ^ Winger, Richard (June 2, 2012). "Ballot Access News". May 2012 Ballot Access News Print Edition. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
  43. ^
    The Huffington Post. Archived from the original
    on October 9, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  44. ^ Woodley, Ken (April 24, 2012). "Goode Wins Nomination". The Farmville Herald. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  45. ^ Wray, Ginny (April 27, 2012). "Goode is out to win". Martinsville Bulletin. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  46. ^ "CPD: 2012 Candidate Selection Criteria". Commission on Presidential Debates. October 20, 2011. Archived from the original on October 2, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  47. ^ Winger, Richard (April 26, 2012). "New Mexico Approves Party Status for Green, Constitution, and Independent American Parties". Ballot Access News. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  48. ^ Jensen, Tom (May 1, 2012). "Obama tops Romney by 8 in VA, even with McDonnell" (PDF). Public Policy Polling. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  49. .
  50. ^ Deeth, John (May 3, 2012). "Third Parties Goode News For Obama". Des Moines Register. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  51. ^ Amira, Dan (May 24, 2012). "Constitution Party Candidate Virgil Goode Not Worried About Being a Spoiler". New York. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  52. ^ "Constitution Party Presidential Nominee Virgil Goode on Washington Journal". C-SPAN. May 13, 2012. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  53. ^ Delta, Sally (May 12, 2012). "Virgil Goode Talks Same Sex Marriage". WSET. Archived from the original on March 31, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2012.
  54. ^ "Goode: Romney 'father of homosexual marriages'". Augusta Free Press. May 12, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  55. ^ Long, John (May 24, 2012). "Goode runs intriguing race". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  56. ^ Fluckiger, Frank (June 4, 2012). "From the Chairman..." (PDF). Constitution Party National Committee. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  57. ^ "Exclusive IPR Interview: Virgil Goode Makes His Case to Ron Paul Supporters". Independent Political Report. May 30, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
  58. ^ Weston, Dallas (June 1, 2012). "Third party role suits Goode – : News". South Hill Enterprise. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  59. ^ EXCLUSIVE Presidential Candidate Virgil Goode. Star News. June 5, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2012 – via YouTube.
  60. ^ Collins, Paul (April 15, 2016). "Goode outlines goals if elected president". Martinsville Bulletin. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  61. ^ Antle, W. James (June 11, 2012). "As Goode as It Gets". The American Conservative. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  62. ^ Larison, Daniel (June 11, 2012). "Virgil Goode and Iraqi WMDs". The American Conservative. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  63. ^ "Goode News..." (PDF). Constitution Party National Committee. June 18, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  64. ^ "Virgil Goode Town Hall in Craig County, VA". Independent Political Report. June 29, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  65. ^ "Goode on Illegal Immigration..." (PDF). Constitution Party National Committee. July 2, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  66. ^ McCallum, Annie (June 27, 2012). "Goode faults Romney on immigration". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  67. ^ Anderson, Jay (April 3, 2012). "Official Endorsement Time: Virgil Goode for President". Blogger. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  68. ^ "Chuck Baldwin Facebook Page". May 7, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2015 – via Facebook.
  69. ^ Cassidy, Daniel (August 28, 2012). "A plague on both their houses -- Virgil Goode for President". Renew America. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  70. ^ Antle III, W. James (June 11, 2012). "As Goode as It Gets". The American Conservative. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  71. ^ "The Conservative Vote: A Symposium". The American Conservative. October 31, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  72. ^ Jones, Jeffrey M. (July 6, 2012). "Little Support for Third-Party Candidates in 2012 Election". Gallup. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  73. ^ "Obama holding serve in the upper South". Public Policy Polling. July 10, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  74. ^ a b c Sherfinski, David (July 8, 2012). "Goode's third-party run: Bad news for Romney in Virginia? – Washington Times". The Washington Times. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  75. ^ Schapiro, Jeff (July 11, 2012). "Goode vibrations in Va. campaign". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved April 15, 2016.
  76. ^ a b Pershing, Ben (July 14, 2012). "Virgil Goode campaign could be a spoiler for Romney in Virginia". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  77. ^ Cardwell, Rob (July 16, 2012). "Will Goode steal votes from Romney, Obama?". WTVR-TV. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  78. ^ Chami, Nabila (July 12, 2012). "Virgil Goode Says Not To Discount Him In November". WMAL-AM. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2016. Alt URL
  79. ^ Pershing, Ben (July 20, 2012). "Virgil Goode submits 14,000 signatures for ballot, with help from Independent Greens". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  80. ^ Cassidy, Austin (July 19, 2012). "Independent Greens Help to Put Virgil Goode on Virginia Ballot". Uncovered Politics. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  81. ^ "Virgil Goode Event in Birmingham, AL". Google Search. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
  82. ^ "Goode qualifies as write-in candidate on North Carolina ballot". Martinsville Daily. July 24, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  83. ^ Dias, Elizabeth (August 1, 2012). "Virginia's Virgil Goode: Could this Man Cost Mitt Romney the Presidency?". Time. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  84. ^
    The Huffington Post
    . Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  85. ^ a b "Goode Updates..." (PDF). Constitution Party News at a Glance. August 13, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  86. ^ Gehrke, Robert (August 5, 2012). "Constitution Party candidate could be a Romney spoiler". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  87. ^ Brown, Trevor (August 9, 2012). "Constitution Party candidate calls for deep cuts during Cheyenne stop". Wyoming Tribune Eagle Online. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  88. ^ Bennett, Arianna (August 10, 2012). "Independent American Candidate Visits Reno". KTVN. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  89. ^ "Tom Hoefling Debates Virgil Goode - 3 debates". America's Party News. August 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  90. ^ Winger, Richard (August 11, 2012). "American Independent Party Picks Tom Hoefling for President". Ballot Access News. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  91. ^ "Goode Updates..." (PDF). Constitution Party News at a Glance. August 27, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  92. ^ "Virgil Goode's Speech at 42nd Annual Labor Day Festial [sic], Buena Vista, VA - 2012 Presidential Election". ProCon.org. September 3, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  93. ^ Pershing, Ben (September 4, 2012). "Ex-congressman Virgil Goode makes presidential ballot in Virginia". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  94. ^ Waring, Tom (August 29, 2012). "Constitution Party candidates off Pa. ballot". North East Times. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  95. ^ "Updates from Presidential Candidate Virgil Goode . . " (PDF). Constitution Party News at a Glance. September 10, 2012. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  96. ^ "A Candidate Based Solely on the Constitution". Fox Business Network. September 13, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  97. ^ Sharma, Versha (September 11, 2012). "Virgil Goode, potential third party presidential spoiler, talks to Lawrence O'Donnell". MSNBC. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  98. ^ Gottfried, Paul (September 11, 2012). "The Goode Fight". The American Conservative. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  99. ^ "Updates from Presidential Candidate Virgil Goode . . " (PDF). Constitution Party News at a Glance. September 24, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  100. ^ "Obama Ahead with Stronger Support, Better Image and Lead on Most Issues". Pew Research Center. September 19, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  101. ^ Leahy, Michael (September 23, 2012). "Virgil Goode campaigns for president against the odds". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  102. Salon
    . Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  103. ^ Cunnington, Jessica (September 30, 2012). "EXCLUSIVE: Virgil Goode Says He Can Win the Presidency". Newsplex.com. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  104. ^ a b "Updates from Presidential Candidate Virgil Goode . . " (PDF). Constitution Party News at a Glance. October 8, 2012. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  105. ^ Sylvester, Lisa (October 13, 2012). "This candidate may pose risk for Romney". CNN. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  106. ^ Lyngaas, Sean (October 14, 2012). "Constitution Party's Virgil Goode Outlines His Presidential Policy Platform at Press Club". National Press Club. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  107. ^ "Exclusive: Expanding the Debate with Third-Party Candidates Jill Stein, Virgil Goode, Rocky Anderson". Democracy Now!. October 17, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
  108. ^ Quinn, Garrett (October 24, 2012). "Green Party's Jill Stein and Libertarian Gary Johnson Face Off in Third Party Presidential Debate". Reason. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  109. ^ Marchman, Tim (October 24, 2012). "Larry King Presides Over Grab-Bag Third-Party Presidential Debate". The Daily Beast. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  110. ^ "Winners of October 23rd Presidential Debate Have Been Announced". Free & Equal Elections Foundation. October 2012. Archived from the original on January 8, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  111. ^ "Updates from Presidential Candidate Virgil Goode . . " (PDF). Constitution Party News at a Glance. November 2, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  112. ^ "Third-Party Presidential Debate". The Nader Page. November 6, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  113. ^ "On the campaign trail, October 2012". Wikinews. November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  114. ^ "Official 2012 Presidential General Election Results" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. January 17, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
  115. ^ "2000 Presidential General Election Results". Federal Election Commission. December 2001. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
  116. ^ In 2004, Michael Peroutka received 143,630 (0.12%) "2004 Election Results" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. Retrieved November 23, 2015. In 2008, Chuck Baldwin received 199,750 (0.15%) "2008 Presidential Popular Vote Summary for All Candidates Listed on at Least One State Ballot" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
  117. ^ a b "From the Chairman . . " (PDF). Constitution Party News at a Glance. November 20, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  118. ^ "Virgil Goode Polled Over 2% of the Vote in Four Counties". Ballot Access News. December 21, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  119. ^ "Executive Committee". The Constitution Party. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  120. ^ "Our view: Why is Goode backing Trump?". The Roanoke Times. 3 December 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2018.

External links