James N. Clymer (born May 4, 1948) is the 2012 Vice presidential nominee of the United States Constitution Party and former party chairman.^[2]

He grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and earned a law degree. He was admitted into the Bar in Pennsylvania in May 1978.^[3] In 1986 he was appointed Chairman of the Bob Smith for Senate Committee. In 1992 he would join the Libertarian Party and run as their candidate for Pennsylvania Auditor General. He also ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor in 1994 and 1998, attaining 13% and 10.5% respectively. He ran for a United States Senate seat in 2004, which gathered nearly 4% of the vote against Arlen Specter and Joe Hoeffel. He received 214,837 votes, which may have at the time been the second highest number of votes any Constitution Party member has received, after the 460,269 votes for Peg Luksik's 1994 gubernatorial bid received. He somewhat was able to gain support from conservative, pro-life Republicans who had voted for Pat Toomey in the close Senate Primary against Arlen Specter, who is more liberal, especially on social issues. He also gained the endorsement of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Clymer unlike many minor party candidates was invited to participate in the televised U.S. Senate Debate.

Clymer later ran for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Commissioner and scored 13% of the vote.

At the 2012 Constitution Party National Convention, he was selected as the running mate for former Congressman Virgil Goode.^[4]

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography portal

• Meet Jim Clymer

v t e Constitution Party Presidential tickets Phillips/Knight Phillips/Titus Phillips/Frazier Peroutka/Baldwin Baldwin/Castle Goode/Clymer Parties by state and territory State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon (no State Party) Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Territory District of Columbia Guam (no Territory party) Northern Mariana Islands (no Territory party) Puerto Rico (no Territory party) Virgin Islands (no Territory party) Affiliated organizations Young Constitutionalists National Veterans Coalition Related articles Electoral history National Convention Conservatism Portal

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Virgil Goode
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 5th district
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2009
Preceded by	Lewis Payne
Succeeded by	Tom Perriello
Personal details
Born	Virgil Hamlin Goode, Jr. (1946-10-17) October 17, 1946 (age 65) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic Party (Before 2000) Independent (2000–2002) Republican Party (2002–2010) Constitution Party (2010–present)
Spouse(s)	Lucy Dodson
Alma mater	University of Richmond University of Virginia
Military service
Service/branch	Army National Guard
Years of service	1969–1975
Unit	Virginia Army National Guard

Virgil Hamlin Goode, Jr. (/gud/,^[1] born October 17, 1946) is an American politician, last serving as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented the 5th congressional district of Virginia (map) from 1997 to 2009. He lost his seat in the 2008 election to Democrat Tom Perriello.^[2] Goode subsequently joined the Constitution Party. He is that party's 2012 presidential nominee.

Early life and education[link]

Goode was born in Richmond, Virginia, the son of Alice Clara (née Besecker) and Virgil Hamlin Goode.^[3] He has spent most of his life in Rocky Mount. Goode graduated with a B.A. from the University of Richmond (Phi Beta Kappa) and with a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. He also is a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, and served in the Army National Guard from 1969 to 1975.^[4]

Virginia Senate[link]

Goode grew up as a Democrat.^[5] He entered politics soon after graduating from law school. At the age of 27 he won a special election to the state Senate from a Southside district as an independent after the death of the Democratic incumbent. One of his major campaign focuses at the time was advocacy for the Equal Rights Amendment.^[6] Soon after being elected, he joined the Democrats.

Goode wore his party ties very loosely. He became famous for his support of the tobacco industry, where he spoke about his fear that "his elderly mother would be denied 'the one last pleasure' of smoking a cigarette on her hospital deathbed."^[6] He was an ardent defender of gun rights while being an enthusiastic supporter of L. Douglas Wilder, who would become the first elected black governor in the history of the United States. At the Democratic Party's political convention, it was Goode who nominated Wilder for lieutenant governor in 1985. However, while governor, Wilder cracked down on the sale of guns in the state.^[6]

After the 1995 elections resulted in a 20–20 split between Democrats and Republicans in the state Senate, Goode seriously considered voting with the Republicans on organizing the chamber. Had he done so, the State Senate would have been under Republican control for the first time since Reconstruction (the Republicans ultimately won control outright in 1999). Goode's actions at the time "forced his party to share power with Republican lawmakers in the state legislature," which further upset the Democratic Party.^[6]

U.S. Senate elections[link]

1982[link]

Independent incumbent U.S. Senator Harry Flood Byrd decided to retire. Goode ran for the seat, but lost the nomination, getting just 8% of the vote. Lieutenant Governor Richard Joseph Davis won the convention with 64% of the vote.^[7] Davis lost the general election by a two point margin.^[8]

1994[link]

He decided to run for the U.S. Senate again in 1994, to challenge incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Chuck Robb in the Democratic convention. He angered much of the leadership of the Virginia Democratic Party during his second run.^[6] Robb won the convention 50%-22%.^[8] However, Robb failed to reach the threshold needed to avoid a primary election. On June 14, Robb defeated Goode 58%-34%.^[9]

U.S. House of Representatives[link]

Elections[link]

1996

When incumbent Democrat U.S. Congressman Lewis Payne decided to retire in 1996, Goode won the Democratic nomination to succeed him. His state senate district was virtually co-extensive with the southern portion of the congressional district. He defeated Republican nominee George Landrith, an attorney, 61%-36%.^[10]

1998

He won re-election to a second term unopposed.^[11]

2000

Prior to the election, he switched from a Democrat to an independent. He portrayed himself "as independent as the people he serves." Despite running as an independent, he won re-election to a third term with 67% of the vote.^[12]

2002

For the 2001 congressional redistricting, Goode allied with Republican Bob Goodlatte and Democrat Rick Boucher to ensure that none of them would be put in the same district. Goode's home in Franklin County is only about 20 miles (32 km) south of Goodlatte's home in Roanoke, the heart of the 6th district. The counties to the west of Franklin County are in Boucher's 9th District, which had to expand due to lack of population growth.

He won the Republican nomination and won re-election to a fourth term with 63% of the vote.^[13][14] He was the first Republican to represent this district since 1889.

2004

He won re-election to a fifth term with 64% of the vote, defeated Vietnam War veteran and businessman Al Weed.^[15][16]

2006

He won re-election to a sixth term with 59% of the vote against Weed again.^[17]

2008

In 2008 Goode lost his seat, being defeated by Democrat Tom Perriello by 727 votes (0.24% of over 316,000 votes cast). While Goode won 13 of the district's 20 counties and independent cities, Perriello's margin of victory was decided in the district's more urbanized areas. Goode won only one independent city in the district, Bedford, but by only 16 votes. Ultimately, Goode could not overcome a combined 19,000-vote deficit in the Charlottesville area (Charlottesville and surrounding Albemarle County), where Perriello is from.^[18]

2010

Goode had filed paperwork with the Federal Election Committee to allow him to raise money for a possible rematch in the 2010 elections, due to receiving "unsolicited" campaign contributions, though he said he had not decided whether or not he would run in 2010.^[19] However, Goode announced in late July 2009 that he would not seek the Republican nomination for the seat in 2010.^[20] Nonetheless, many expected this race to be heavily targeted by the Republican Party in 2010; and it was won by Republican Robert Hurt that year.

Tenure[link]

During his first two terms, he compiled one of the most conservative records of any Democrat in the Congress.^[21] Like many Southern Democrats, Goode strongly opposed abortion and gun control and vigorously supported the tobacco industry. His contrarian streak resulted in him being isolated within the Democratic caucus, which later led to him switching parties.^[5]

Goode came under considerable fire shortly after being unopposed for a second term in 1998, when he voted for three of the four articles of impeachment against Bill Clinton. In January 2000, he declared himself an independent and began caucusing with the Republicans, who gave him a seat on the Appropriations Committee. Republicans had been lobbying him to switch parties since 1998. Reflecting on Goode's record at the time, David Brown, the mayor of Charlottesville and a former chairman of the city's Democratic Party said "It was obvious he didn't really fit in the Democratic Party anymore."^[6]

Goode's primary policy initiatives were anti-amnesty immigration reform, veterans' healthcare, and the enactment in 2004 of a $9.6 billion buyout for tobacco farmers. Goode has sponsored legislation to permit deployment of the U.S. Armed Forces to the U.S.-Mexico border. He voted in 2002 to authorize the Iraq War and in support of an $87 billion Iraq War supplemental spending bill.

Goode is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.^[22]

Goode voted in 2007 against a resolution opposing the increase in troop numbers in Iraq,^[23] saying that he didn't want to "aid and assist the Islamic jihadists who want the green flag of the crescent and star to wave over the Capitol of the United States and over the White House of this country" and that "radical Muslims" wanted to control the world and put "In Muhammad We Trust" on American currency.^[24]

Liberty caucus

Goode served on the Liberty Caucus (sometimes called the Liberty Committee), a group of libertarian-leaning congressional representatives.^[25] Congressman Ron Paul hosts a luncheon for the Liberty Caucus every Thursday. Other members include Jimmy Duncan of Tennessee, Walter B. Jones of North Carolina, Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Zach Wamp of Tennessee and Jeff Flake of Arizona.^[26] In the 2008 Republican primary elections for President, the Federal Election Commission reported that Goode donated $500 to Republican candidate Ron Paul.^[27]

MZM

In 2005, Goode faced questions when a major corporate campaign donor, defense contractor MZM, Inc., was implicated in a bribery scandal that resulted in the criminal conviction and resignation of California congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham.^[28] Although Goode insisted that his relations with MZM were motivated solely by his interest in bringing high-paying skilled jobs to his district, in December of that year he donated the $88,000 received in MZM contributions to regional charities.

On July 21, 2006 Richard Berglund, a former supervisor of the Martinsville, Virginia office of MZM Inc., pleaded guilty to making illegal donations to Goode's campaign. Court papers indicated that Berglund and MZM owner Mitchell Wade (who previously pleaded guilty) engaged in a scheme to reimburse MZM employees for campaign donations.^[29] There was no allegation of wrong-doing on the part of Goode's campaign.

2006 Qur'an controversy

In 2006, Minnesota's 5th congressional district elected Keith Ellison as the first Muslim to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Some criticized Ellison's intended use of the Qur'an once owned by Thomas Jefferson at a private swearing-in ceremony;^[30] among them, Goode was vocal in his opposition to Ellison's plan. One of Goode's constituents posted a letter online from the congressman regarding Ellison. The letter reads in part:

When I raise my hand to take the oath on Swearing In Day, I will have the Bible in my other hand. I do not subscribe to using the Koran in any way. The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don't wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran.^[31][32]

Ellison criticized Goode for this letter, stating that he is not an immigrant and that Goode does not understand Islam. Ellison also offered to meet with Goode to discuss the matter.^[32] On his first day in office, Ellison sought out Goode and initiated a cordial exchange on the House floor.^[33]

In interviews around that time, Goode stated that he was in favor of decreasing legal immigration to the United States and that he wanted to do away with Diversity Immigrant Visas. Goode argued that such visas would allow people "not from European countries" or from "some terrorist states" to enter America.^[34] Goode also repeated his views on a January 1, 2007 post to the USA Today blog.^[35]

Hummer accusation

At the 2008 Independence Day parade in Scottsville, Virginia, independent supporters of Goode drove a Hummer H3 decorated with signs promoting Goode and Robert B. Bell.^[36] With gas prices at $4 a gallon, a supporter of Goode's opponent, Tom Perriello, put video of the parade on YouTube, accusing Goode of being out of touch with ordinary citizens grappling with the high cost of fuel.^[37]

Goode never rode in the Hummer, and is not known to have had anything to do with it, but he was widely portrayed as having both owned and operated the vehicle.^[36] He was lampooned on The Daily Show for the story.^[38]

The Sunlight Foundation pointed out that among the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Goode has the 13th-highest amount of investment in oil stocks, meaning that Goode stands to gain financially through high gas prices and pro-oil industry legislation.^[39]

Eden's Curve controversy

In the end credits of the gay-themed film Eden's Curve, the producers list Goode in the acknowledgements. Linwood Duncan, Goode's press secretary, has a minor role as the dean of the college. A number of other Danville residents are listed in the cast and credits.

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development grant that Goode assisted in bringing to the North Theatre project was received by the North Theatre organization in 2005.

The Danville Register & Bee reported that Duncan and Goode’s wife Lucy were both on the founding board of the North Theatre. Virgil Goode checked with the House ethics committee, before Duncan or his wife Lucy went onto the North Theatre board. In the light of the controversy, Lucy Goode stepped down from the board.

In 2003, Duncan told the Register & Bee he didn’t see any conflict with the earmarked dollars. "I don’t even know how a question of a conflict even arises," he said.^[40]

Sabato earmark controversy

In June 2009, it was revealed that political scientist Larry Sabato, of the Center for Politics, had been the recipient of over $7 million in earmark money from Goode, whom Sabato predicted would win re-election in 2008, despite declining poll numbers; Goode ultimately lost the race by a small margin.^[41] Some observers have suggested that Sabato should have revealed his financial connection to Goode or recused himself from making predictions about the race.^[42]

Committee assignments[link]

• House Appropriations Committee

2012 presidential campaign[link]

Wikinews has related news: Wikinews interviews former Congressman Virgil Goode, Constitution Party presidential candidate

In November 2010, Goode joined the executive committee of the Constitution Party, having previously been a member of the party's larger national committee.^[43] According to the party's national field director, Gary Odom, Goode "has made it clear to members in private and public comments at the meeting and prior thereto that he has a strong interest in seeking the party’s nomination" for the presidency," and the party sent out a promotional mailing in June 2011 saying that Goode "has expressed a strong interest in seeking the Constitution Party Presidential nomination in 2012."^[44][45] He told The Roanoke Times in June 2011 that he would "consider it as the year progresses."^[46]

Goode filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) as a presidential candidate on February 10.^[47] He told The Daily Caller on February 16 that he was running for the Constitution Party nomination.^[48]

Wikinews has related news: U.S. Constitution Party nominates former Congressman Virgil Goode for president

Goode was selected as the party's 2012 presidential nominee on April 21, 2012 at the 2012 Constitution Party National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.^[49][50]

Electoral history[link]

See also[link]

• United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2008#District

References[link]

External links[link]

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• 2012 presidential campaign website
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia
• Audio from Goode's August 9, 2006 debate with Al Weed
• Legislative profile and tracking for Virgil Goode from GovTrack

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Chuck Baldwin
Personal details
Born	Charles Obadiah Baldwin (1952-05-03) May 3, 1952 (age 60) La Porte, Indiana, U.S.
Political party	Constitution Republican
Spouse(s)	Connie Kay Cole (1973–present)
Children	Sarah, Christopher, Timothy
Residence	Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Baptist pastor, radio host
Religion	Baptists (Christianity)
Website	Chuck Baldwin Live

Charles Obadiah "Chuck" Baldwin (born May 3, 1952) is an American politician and founder-pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. He was the presidential nominee of the Constitution Party for the 2008 U.S. presidential election and had previously been its nominee for U.S. vice president in 2004. He hosts a daily one-hour radio program, Chuck Baldwin Live, and writes a daily editorial column carried on its website, on News with Views, and on VDare.

As a Republican Party member, Baldwin was state chairman of the Florida Moral Majority in the 1980s. However, during the 2000 campaign of Republican George W. Bush for U.S. President, Baldwin left the party and began a long period of criticism of Bush. Baldwin endorsed U.S. Representative Ron Paul for the 2008 Republican nomination for president, and Paul in turn endorsed Baldwin for the presidency in the 2008 general election.

Baldwin supports ending U.S. involvement in the United Nations, reducing U.S. income taxes, and repeal of the Patriot Act. He would withdraw troops from Iraq and seek to end illegal immigration by enforcing immigration laws. He supports the gold standard, the right to keep and bear arms, homeschooling, and the proposed Sanctity of Life Act, which would define "human life" and legal personhood as beginning at conception, and prevent federal courts from hearing cases on abortion-related legislation.

Family and education[link]

Baldwin's father, Edwin J. "Ed" Baldwin, was born on March 1, 1907, in Lake, Michigan^{[disambiguation needed ]}, to Zora Mary Baldwin (1889–1973) and Arthur Baldwin (1881–1962), a farmer, carpenter, and construction foreman. The family moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, before 1910, after which Ed's four siblings Ruth, Nina, Arthur (Bud), and Eugene (Gene) were born. Ed grew up to marry Sarah L. Baldwin, became a master welder, and was loyal to the Teamsters union and the Democratic Party.^[1][2]

In response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the three brothers volunteered for the Second World War on December 8, 1941. At this time Sarah left Ed because of his years of alcoholism.^[2] After the war, Ed left Arkansas and found work in La Porte, Indiana (where he lived until his death in early 1993); he was the only one of the Baldwin clan (also including his in-laws) not to remain a lifelong Arkansan.^[3] In 1947, while in poor health, Ed "gave his heart to the Lord" in a salvation experience, and reportedly never drank again. Ed had remarried, and conducted a successful volunteer chaplaincy in La Porte County Jail, Indiana State Prison, and other northern Indiana prisons for 35 years; he was regarded as an effective soulwinner and as having a special ministry to black inmates.^[2] Ed's life story was dramatized for radio by Pacific Garden Mission for its "Unshackled!" series.^[4]

Ed's son, Charles "Chuck" Baldwin, was born in La Porte, Indiana, in La Porte County, on May 3, 1952. Baldwin graduated from La Porte High School in 1971 and attended Midwestern Baptist College in Pontiac, Michigan, for two years. He met Connie Kay Cole there and married her on June 2, 1973.^[4] Though he originally had planned on a career in law enforcement, Baldwin felt called to evangelistic ministry;^[2] he moved to the south,^[3] and enrolled in, and graduated with a Bible diploma from, the Thomas Road Bible Institute (now the Liberty Bible Institute at Liberty University). He then received his bachelor's and master's in theology through external programs from Christian Bible College, located in Rocky Mount, North Carolina which is accredited by the American Accrediting Association of Theological Institutions run by the President of the college and has been referred to as a diploma mill in Name It and Frame It?^[5]. Baldwin has received two honorary doctor of divinity degrees, from Christian Bible College and from Trinity Baptist College in Jacksonville, Florida.^[4]

On June 22, 1975, Chuck and Connie Baldwin and four other individuals held the first meeting of what would become the Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida; Baldwin was the founding pastor. By 1985 the church had gone through repeated building programs and been recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.^[4]

The Baldwins have three children. Sarah is the oldest; she and her husband, structural engineer Allan Baker, are church youth leaders and have three children. Second is Christopher (Chris), who owns a plumbing business; he and his wife, Jana Baldwin née McCoy, also have three children. Third is Timothy, a lawyer and a music minster at Liberty Fellowship in Kalispell, Montana.^[3][4]

Political activity[link]

Until he became a Republican in 1980, Baldwin had been a registered Democrat, like his father.^[3] From 1980 to 1984, Baldwin served as Pensacola chairman and then state executive director of the Florida Moral Majority, organized by the Rev. Jerry Falwell of Lynchburg, Virginia.^[4] Baldwin helped carry the state twice for Reagan electors; he says he helped Falwell register some 50,000 Christian conservative voters.^[6] Baldwin's father, Ed, a lifelong Democrat, expressed grudging admiration for what he saw as Reagan's honesty and courage.^[2] In August 1994, Baldwin had a call-in radio show on the Christian Patriot Network.^[7]

In 2000, however, Baldwin left the Republican Party on grounds that the Bush–Cheney ticket was too liberal. Baldwin has said that many evangelical minds, similarly to ministers in Nazi Germany, have seemingly given Bush "the aura of an American Fuhrer."^[8] He considered himself an independent affiliated with the Constitution Party.^[3]

At about this time, Baldwin began hosting a local daily one-hour current-events radio program, "Chuck Baldwin Live," which continues today nationwide on the Genesis Communications Network. He writes a semiweekly editorial column carried on its website, on VDare, Chuckbalwinlive.com,^[9] and in several newspapers. He has also appeared on numerous television shows and radio shows, in churches across the country, and as the keynote speaker for the 50th anniversary of D-Day at Naval Air Station Pensacola.^[4]

2004 vice presidential campaign[link]

In the 2004 presidential election, Baldwin was the running mate of Michael Peroutka of Maryland and was the candidate for U.S. vice president on the Constitution Party ticket, the Alaskan Independence Party ticket, and other tickets and qualified write-in slots in 42 states. The two ran on a platform of "For God, Family, and the Republic." The Peroutka–Baldwin campaign publicly spoke out against abortion,^[10] women in the military,^[11] and the Iraq War,^[12] and emphasized the Bible, traditional family values, and the need for Constitutionally limited government.

On August 14, 2004, the Clarion Call to Converge Committee hosted discussions of potential strategic merger among the America First Party, the American Independent Party, and the Independent American Party; invited Constitution Party chair Jim Clymer was unable to attend due to Hurricane Charley. While the committee found the meeting favorable toward some party merger,^[13] AFP national chairman Dan Charles saw other forms of party cooperation to be more likely.^[14] In the end, the four parties succeeded in uniting to endorse Peroutka–Baldwin as their 2004 presidential ticket.

Peroutka was also endorsed by many paleoconservatives, the Alaskan Independence Party,^[15] the League of the South (accepted by Peroutka at its 2004 national convention), the Southern Party of Georgia,^[16] Samuel T. Francis,^[17] Alex Jones,^[18] Howard Phillips,^[19] and Taki Theodoracopulos.^[20] Pat Buchanan also stated there was a chance he would vote for Peroutka, counting them as "a Buchananite party",^[21] but eventually endorsed Bush.^[22] The ticket came in fifth with 143,630 votes (0.12%)^[23] and spent $728,221,^[24] somewhat less per vote than either George W. Bush or John Kerry. It was the only third party to increase its share of the vote in 2004.

Interim activity[link]

In the Constitution Party's April 2006 national convention in Tampa, Florida, a heated disaffiliation vote forced members to choose between one of two pro-life positions. The assembly voted not to disaffiliate the Independent American Party of Nevada over the more exceptive position of its gubernatorial candidate, Christopher H. Hansen. Baldwin voted in favor of disaffiliation, favoring the more conservative position. Baldwin remained with the party, but several conservative state parties subsequently voted to leave the national party, believing it to have unacceptably compromised its pro-life platform;^[25] rump factions have been orchestrated by the national Constitution Party in some of these states.

On August 30, 2007, Baldwin wrote an informal endorsement for Ron Paul for the GOP nomination: "Conservative Republicans have only one choice for president in 2008: Congressman Ron Paul of Texas";^[26] more formal endorsement of Paul came in a December video.^[27] That same month, Baldwin said:

Unfortunately, it has been the Christian Right's blind support for President Bush in particular and the Republican Party in general that has precipitated a glaring and perhaps fatal defect: the Christian Right cannot, or will not, honestly face the real danger confronting these United States. . . . On the whole, they fail to understand the issues that are critical to our nation's—and their own—survival. . . . Sadly, this is what the Christian Right just doesn't get: ninety percent of the time, it doesn't matter to a tinker's dam whether a Republican or Democrat wins the White House. . . . All the pro-life, pro-family, traditional-values, conservative talk is just that: talk. Republicans use conservative rhetoric the same way Democrats use liberal rhetoric. Neither party believes what they are telling their constituents. They merely say what constituents want to hear in order to get elected; after which, they set about to do what their elitist, globalist manipulators tell them to do.^[6]

2008 presidential campaign[link]

Baldwin's vice presidential run, and Peroutka's withdrawal from the national Constitution Party, led to active 2006 speculation that Baldwin would seek the presidential nomination in 2008. Baldwin responded in October that "I have learned to never say never, but I have no desire to run. [It] would require several 'miraculous' signs of reassurance that, frankly, I cannot see happening. However, I am always open to God's will."^[28] He repeated this stance through March 2008.^[29]

Baldwin announced on April 10, two weeks before the national convention was held in Kansas City, Missouri, that he would make himself available for the party's nomination at the convention, while "not 'running,'" but continuing to seek God's will.^[30][31] A Nolan Chart writer conveyed speculation that Baldwin's availability may have been responsive to the sudden candidacy of former ambassador Alan Keyes, who strongly favored the Iraq war;^[32] Baldwin, a noninterventionist, admitted others "have urged me to place my name in nomination."^[31] In a convention speech, party founder Howard Phillips endorsed Baldwin and controversially referred to Keyes as a neocon and a too-recent Republican.^[33]

Baldwin was nominated on April 26, 2008, after what was described as the most contentious battle in the party's 16-year history.^[34] He received 383.8 votes, ahead of Keyes, who drew 125.7 votes from delegates;^[35] Keyes had abandoned the Republicans for the Constitution Party (one month before the Constitution Party convention),^[34] much as Baldwin had done in 2000. Party members such as national chairman Jim Clymer said Baldwin's stands were more in line with party thinking.^[34] Baldwin asked the convention to nominate bankruptcy attorney Darrell Castle of Tennessee as his running mate, and this request was honored.^[36]

After Ron Paul withdrew from the Republican campaign in June, he remained neutral about making a presidential endorsement. On September 10, Paul held a National Press Club conference at which Baldwin, Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney, and independent candidate Ralph Nader all agreed on four principles—quickly ending the Iraq war, protecting privacy and civil liberties, stopping increases in the national debt, and investigating the Federal Reserve—and on their opposition to the Democratic and Republican parties ignoring these issues.^[37]

Paul's advice at the conference was to vote for whichever third-party candidate one has the most affinity to, because "we must maximize the total votes of those rejecting the two major candidates."^[38] However, on September 22, 2008, Paul stated his neutrality was "due to my respect and friendship and support from both the Constitution and Libertarian Party members . . . and I'm a ten-term Republican congressman. It is not against the law to participate in more than one political party." Paul then gave his endorsement to Baldwin: "Unsolicited advice from the Libertarian Party candidate . . . has [persuaded] me to reject my neutral stance in the November election. I'm supporting Chuck Baldwin, the Constitution Party candidate."^[39] Paul later clarified that though he would vote for Baldwin, he recognized the diversity of his support base and could not bind anyone's conscience. A former Paul primary backer, Houston term limits pioneer Clymer Wright, also contributed to the Baldwin campaign.^[40]

Baldwin has written specifically against the candidacies of Barack Obama and John McCain,^[41] and those of vice-presidential nominees Sarah Palin and Joe Biden.^[42]

2012 campaign for lieutenant governor[link]

In November, 2011, Republican Montana gubernatorial candidate Bob Fanning selected Chuck Baldwin as his running mate.^[43]

Move to Montana[link]

In 2010, Baldwin retired from his position as pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church and announced his intention to move to Montana, because he believed God had told him that the Mountain states were the "tip of the spear in the freedom fight."^[44] In March 2011, he wrote an article in support of the American Redoubt concept originated by novelist and blogger James Wesley Rawles. This plan designates five western states (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, eastern Oregon, and eastern Washington) as a safe haven for conservative Christians.^[45] In a June 9, 2011 article, Baldwin outlined his reasons for choosing the Flathead Valley of Western Montana for his family's home. He cited Montana's freedom-loving people, its recognition of the right to keep and bear arms, and a feeling of strong conviction, following prayer.^[46]

Political positions[link]

Foreign policy[link]

Baldwin supports American sovereignty and is a staunch opponent of what he sees as the New World Order. He has stated that fighting against one-world government is his top priority. He believes globalism in government has led to many connected threats and issues, among which he lists illegal immigration, the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the North American Free Trade Agreement, CAFTA, the North American Union, the Trans-Texas Corridor, the Iraq war, China,^[47] the Security and Prosperity Partnership, and the Free Trade Area of the Americas.^[48] He would also effect United States withdrawal from the United Nations and has pledged to push the UN out of its New York City offices.^[34]

Baldwin believes that "the invasion and occupation of Iraq was absolutely unnecessary"^[49] and has said his presidency would result in troop withdrawal from Iraq.^[34]

He has written that "the Mexican government is deliberately and systematically working to destabilize and undermine the very fabric and framework of American society."^[50] He strongly opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants and would try to end illegal immigration.^[34]

Baldwin has suggested reopening the investigation into the September 11 attacks, believing that the 9/11 truth movement has a right to have alternative 9/11 theories investigated, including those that raise the possibility of U.S. government involvement in the attacks.^[51]

Economy[link]

Baldwin says he would end all federal income taxes and phase out the Internal Revenue Service.^[34] In an interview, he said, "What I would propose is an across-the-board, general 10 percent tariff on all imports and that would meet the Constitution's prescription for financing the federal government—duties, imposts, tariffs",^[52] which, he claims, would also help keep jobs in the United States.^[53] His website also says that "a tariff on foreign imports, based on the difference between the foreign item's cost of production abroad and the cost of production of a similar item produced in the United States, would be a Constitutional step toward a fair trade policy that would protect American jobs and, at the same time, raise revenue for our national government."^[54]

He has said that as president he would streamline the federal government and tap oil reserves in Alaska, the Dakotas, and the Gulf of Mexico. He believes the United States should return to the gold standard.^[34]

States' rights[link]

Baldwin believes that "the South was right in the War Between the States," and that the leaders of the Confederacy were not racists.^[3] He uses the term "War for Southern Independence". ^[55] He bemoans George W. Bush's failure to rescind executive orders by Bill Clinton that appear to undermine states' rights and private property rights.^[56]

Individual liberties[link]

Baldwin "believe[s] the federal 'war on terror' and 'war on drugs' are mostly a cover for power-hungry, Big Government zealots to trample constitutional government and squash freedoms and liberties, which are supposed to be protected by the Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence." ^[57] He opposes the Patriot Act and related legislation and orders, saying that it "deprives the people of their rights secured under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments under the guise of 'combating terrorism' or 'protecting national security'".^[58] In relation to airplane captain Don Carty profiling a customer's credentials and behavior, Baldwin stated that "profiling of all sorts is a very necessary tool for effective law enforcement. Only morons would try to hamper a lawman's ability to bring criminals to justice by removing this tool from them."^[59]

Regarding the separation of church and state, Baldwin believes that "America was deliberately and distinctively founded as a haven for Christians"^[60] and he supports the public display of the Ten Commandments in government buildings.

He says that freedom of association in health care is important: "I strongly support the freedom of choice of practitioner and treatment for all citizens for their health care. . . . The government should not have the power to force people to receive immunizations or vaccinations."^[61] He also would eliminate the Food and Drug Administration as unconstitutional.^[62]

Baldwin supports freedom for homeschooling and private schooling and wants to disband the U.S. Department of Education;^[63] he says that he would be the best friend homeschoolers have ever had in the White House.^[34]

Baldwin is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, and he believes that the right to keep and bear arms should not be infringed by the government:

A Baldwin Administration will uphold the right of the citizens to keep and bear arms and will oppose attempts to prohibit ownership of guns by law-abiding citizens, and, further, will stand against all laws which would require the registration of guns or ammunition. . . . Richard Henry Lee, a signer of the Declaration, once said, "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." Just as the right to bear arms is necessary in the defense against tyranny, so [too] is that same right vital for the purpose of self-defense. . . . Firearms are used 60 times more often to protect the lives of honest citizens than to take lives. . . . The vast majority of the time (92%), the mere presence of a firearm helps to avert a major crime from occurring. That is what Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) concluded after extensive research. According to Rep. Bartlett, the number of defensive uses is four times the number of crimes reported committed with guns.^[64]

Baldwin had already begun promoting militia movements on his radio show as early as 1995.^[7] He says that in his opinion, people like Morris Dees, head of the Southern Poverty Law Center, try to "pander the market of fear, trying to convince everybody that anyone with a gun, any person who wants to own a gun, and anyone who would consider themselves part of a citizen militia is a threat to our government and to our society."^[65]

Baldwin firmly opposes abortion and Roe v. Wade. He favors Ron Paul's Sanctity of Life Act^[66] and says his presidency would end abortion.^[34]

He takes a critical view of the federal government's handling of Randy Weaver, the Branch Davidians, and Hutaree.^[67]

Personal views[link]

Baldwin has several beliefs typically distinctive of Independent Baptists, such as the primacy of the local New Testament church, premillennial dispensationalism, counting homosexuality as a moral perversion, avoidance of drinking and smoking, and strict diet and exercise.^[3] He believes that America has evolved to "a matriarchal society"^[68] and that it is losing the "inner toughness" of masculinity.^[69] Baldwin says his only organizational memberships are to his church, the Constitution Party, Gun Owners of America, and the National Rifle Association.^[3]

In 2002 he wrote a booklet, "What Every Christian Should Know About Islam." Baldwin summarizes Muslim persecution of Christians by saying, "Only communism rivals Islam in sheer numbers of people persecuted and killed."^[70]

In his spare time, Baldwin enjoys hunting, recreational fishing, and watching the Green Bay Packers.^[3] Among his favorite movies are The Passion of the Christ^[71] and Gods and Generals, stating that the latter "has the power to change the hearts of millions of people who disdain the Old Confederacy, who misunderstand Southern slavery, and who hold Christianity in contempt."^[72]

Bibliography[link]

• Baldwin, Chuck, ed. (2001). The Freedom Documents. Abigail Adams, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Paine, Ronald Reagan, Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain. Pensacola, Florida: Chuck Baldwin Live Radio Talk Show. OCLC 212793142. 
• Let's Look at Legalism.^{[citation needed]}
• Subjects Seldom Spoken On: 11 Messages That Will Stimulate Your Mind and Stir Your Heart, 1990.^{[citation needed]}
• This Is the Life (a verse-by-verse exposition of the Epistles of John).^{[citation needed]}

References[link]