Message to Greens: Presidential candidates run in California?s primary

In this issue: Gonzalez enters runoff for Mayor of San Francisco Green Party candidate takes a turn in the debates Green City, Part II: Santa Monica sets the pace for the 21st century Growing Greens: California Campus Greens meet, discuss how to grow organization, reach voters. Next Step: Greens in the Assembly Message to Greens: Presidential candidates run in California?s primary The recall Editorial: Sunflower gathers strength from the roots Editorial: Strategies for Diversity Require Diversity The dog and pony shows of corporate politics are history! Opinions vary among Green Gals on the 2004 election dilemma GMOs-who decides? Proponents of good health prescribe surgery: insurance-ectomy Greens plan 2004 Congressional challenge Californians elect Greens into local offices Adults represent children when voting on ballot initiatives David Cobb tells why he seeks the presidential nomination FAQ Letters to the Editor News Clips

There's been a lot of interest and anguish over who the Greens are going to run as a U.S. Presidential candidate in 2004, but not a lot of clear information.

By Stuart Bechman Here are a few facts. One, if we don't run a presidential candidate, the Greens will disappear as an "officially-recognized" party with ballot access in about a third of the states. Running a candidate, however, is a different matter from actively launching a national presidential campaign-it's conceivable that the Green Party of the United States (GPUS) decides at the national nominating convention in June to put a name forward, but concentrate only on local races.That brings up the second fact. California Greens will be voting for a presidential candidate in the March 2004 primary election. While other states may run other candidates, in California as of press time there three candidates who have asked to be placed on the ballot: David Cobb of California; Kent Mesplay of California; and Lorna Salzman of Connecticut. What about Ralph Nader or Cynthia McKinney? Are we already locked into the candidates appearing on the primary ballot? Not at all. Unlike Democrats and Republicans, Green Party presidential candidates do not earn ?points? in state primaries or caucuses. The selection of the GPUS Presidential candidate will be determined by 250-some delegates in Milwaukee in June. Presidential hopefuls may announce their intent to secure the party's nomination anytime up until that time. The Green Party primary will provide important visibility to help our party grow, and provide some guidance to the 137-member California contingent at the national convention.The Green presidential nominating process is shorter and more efficient that the mainstream parties because we don't have the funding base to finance two-year presidential campaigns. The U.S. and California Green Parties retain the greatest number of options for the party while maximizing our visibility at the lowest cost. So if you're frustrated about the Greens being sidelined while the nine Democratic contenders seem to be getting all the spotlight, our time is about here. Get ready to let the world know that the Green Party, too, will have a strong, progressive candidate for president in 2004.Stuart Bechman is co-chair of the GROW?GrassRoots Organizing Working group.###

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