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Independent Greens of Virginia
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Independent Greens of Virginia
The Independent Greens of Virginia (also known as the Indy Greens) was the state affiliate of the Independence Party of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It became a state party around 2003 when a faction of the Arlington local chapter of the Green Party of Virginia (GPVA) split from the main party. As of 2011, it bills itself as a "fiscally conservative, socially responsible green party", with an emphasis on rail transportation and "more candidates". In support of wider ballot participation, it endorses many independent candidates who are not affiliated with the party.
The party, separate from the national Green Party of the United States, affiliated itself with the Independence Party of America on January 10, 2008.
Without "major party" status for automatic ballot access in Virginia, the party has had to gather petition signatures to get on the ballot. The requirement for statewide elections is 10,000 signatures, including at least 400 from each of Virginia's 11 congressional districts. In order for the party to gain automatic ballot access as a major party, one of its nominated candidates must receive 10% of the vote in a statewide race.
The platform of the Independent Greens focuses on fiscal conservatism, calling for balanced budgets at local, state, and federal levels, and paying off the national debt. The party supports term limits as well as transportation issues. It is perhaps best known for its advocacy of "More Trains, Less Traffic" building high-speed rail nationwide, new rail subways in every major American city, and light rail. On July 7, 2008, the Indy Greens endorsed the Pickens Plan, a proposal by financier T. Boone Pickens, to build wind and solar power and cut dependence on foreign oil.
In July 2005, the party filed paperwork with the Virginia State Board of Elections claiming 15 candidates as their nominees. According to the Lynchburg News & Advance, only six were in fact candidates of the party; the other nine were independents or candidates of other third parties. Those nine disavowed the Independent Green designation to the State Board of Elections.
The Indy Greens' most prominent candidate in the 2006 election was retired Air Force officer Glenda Gail Parker who ran for the United States Senate against Republican George Allen, the incumbent, and ex-Navy Secretary Jim Webb, the Democratic Party challenger. Parker considered withdrawing her candidacy late in the race if one of the other candidates would commit to funding new passenger rail systems and a new accounting system at the Pentagon, and agree to balancing the federal budget and paying off the federal debt. Ultimately, she neither withdrew nor made any official endorsements, but she did offer some last-minute support to Webb. Parker garnered 26,102 votes (1.1%). The margin between Webb and Allen was 9,329 votes, less than Parker's vote.
Comedian Stephen Colbert found her "Gail for Rail" campaign jingle worthy of a post-election sing-along on his television show The Colbert Report. Colbert also joked that Parker, whose real first name is Glenda, purposely changed her name to Gail just so it would rhyme with "light rail" to make the campaign jingle flow.
The Independent Greens nominated candidates for five state legislative seats. In four of those races, the Democratic incumbent had no other opposition, and the Indy Green nominee received between 17% and 21% of the vote.
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Independent Greens of Virginia
The Independent Greens of Virginia (also known as the Indy Greens) was the state affiliate of the Independence Party of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It became a state party around 2003 when a faction of the Arlington local chapter of the Green Party of Virginia (GPVA) split from the main party. As of 2011, it bills itself as a "fiscally conservative, socially responsible green party", with an emphasis on rail transportation and "more candidates". In support of wider ballot participation, it endorses many independent candidates who are not affiliated with the party.
The party, separate from the national Green Party of the United States, affiliated itself with the Independence Party of America on January 10, 2008.
Without "major party" status for automatic ballot access in Virginia, the party has had to gather petition signatures to get on the ballot. The requirement for statewide elections is 10,000 signatures, including at least 400 from each of Virginia's 11 congressional districts. In order for the party to gain automatic ballot access as a major party, one of its nominated candidates must receive 10% of the vote in a statewide race.
The platform of the Independent Greens focuses on fiscal conservatism, calling for balanced budgets at local, state, and federal levels, and paying off the national debt. The party supports term limits as well as transportation issues. It is perhaps best known for its advocacy of "More Trains, Less Traffic" building high-speed rail nationwide, new rail subways in every major American city, and light rail. On July 7, 2008, the Indy Greens endorsed the Pickens Plan, a proposal by financier T. Boone Pickens, to build wind and solar power and cut dependence on foreign oil.
In July 2005, the party filed paperwork with the Virginia State Board of Elections claiming 15 candidates as their nominees. According to the Lynchburg News & Advance, only six were in fact candidates of the party; the other nine were independents or candidates of other third parties. Those nine disavowed the Independent Green designation to the State Board of Elections.
The Indy Greens' most prominent candidate in the 2006 election was retired Air Force officer Glenda Gail Parker who ran for the United States Senate against Republican George Allen, the incumbent, and ex-Navy Secretary Jim Webb, the Democratic Party challenger. Parker considered withdrawing her candidacy late in the race if one of the other candidates would commit to funding new passenger rail systems and a new accounting system at the Pentagon, and agree to balancing the federal budget and paying off the federal debt. Ultimately, she neither withdrew nor made any official endorsements, but she did offer some last-minute support to Webb. Parker garnered 26,102 votes (1.1%). The margin between Webb and Allen was 9,329 votes, less than Parker's vote.
Comedian Stephen Colbert found her "Gail for Rail" campaign jingle worthy of a post-election sing-along on his television show The Colbert Report. Colbert also joked that Parker, whose real first name is Glenda, purposely changed her name to Gail just so it would rhyme with "light rail" to make the campaign jingle flow.
The Independent Greens nominated candidates for five state legislative seats. In four of those races, the Democratic incumbent had no other opposition, and the Indy Green nominee received between 17% and 21% of the vote.