New York Greens Look To Nader

ALBANY, N.Y. (AllPolitics, March 26) -- Members of New York's Green Party will mount an effort to put consumer advocate Ralph Nader on the Empire State ballot, a party activist told the Associated Press today. Party leader Mark Dunlea, who worked for President Clinton's 1992 campaign, brushed aside concerns Nader's candidacy could hurt the president's chances in New York, saying, "We've waited long enough for Clinton."

Clinton campaign officials have shown concern over Nader's Green Party candidacy in California, but New York Democratic leader John Sullivan dismissed Nader as "a fringe candidacy." But Empire State pollster Gordon Black predicted that Nader would "cut directly into Clinton's vote in New York," and state GOP chairman William Powers joked he'd "help with the petitions."

The Greens will need all the assistance they can get. Some 15,000 signatures of registered voters must be collected between July 9 and August 20th, and of those, 100 must be from at least 16 of New York's 31 congressional districts. Faced with similarly byzantine hurdles, former GOP candidate, publisher Malcolm S. "Steve" Forbes, Jr. spent almost $1 million to get on the GOP primary ballot.

"They'll have to do it themselves," Nader said of the Green Party's ballot drive. Accepting no campaign contributions, and planning to cap his own expenditures at $5,000, Nader said he wouldn't stump in New York.

AllPolitics home page