Independence Party of New York

The Independence Party is a political party in the U.S. state of New York. It was formed in 1994, largely by people active in or sympathetic to the movement associated with Ross Perot's candidacy for President two years earlier that would later become the Reform Party. More recently, it has seen an internal factional struggle arising from an influx of new members.

Related Topics:
Political party - U.S. state - New York - 1994 - Reform Party

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In the elections for Governor of New York in 1994, 1998, and 2002, the party's candidate was businessman Tom Golisano, who had been the most important person in the party's founding. His personal wealth enabled him to mount well-funded campaigns. In each election, he finished in third place, far ahead of all other candidates not running on the Democratic or Republican ballot lines. Because Golisano received more than 50,000 votes each time, the party was also guaranteed an automatic ballot line for the succeeding four years.

Related Topics:
Governor of New York - Tom Golisano - Democratic - Republican

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In the 2000 elections the party endorsed Natural Law candidate John Hagelin for president. While mayor Rudy Giuliani was considered for their Senate candidate, they endorsed Jeff Graham against the candidates Hillary Clinton and Rick Lazio when Giuliani did not run.

Related Topics:
Natural Law - John Hagelin - Rudy Giuliani - Hillary Clinton - Rick Lazio

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In 2001 the party endorsed Michael Bloomberg, the Republican candidate for mayor of New York City. The votes he received on the Independence Party ballot line, which counted toward his total under New York's fusion rule, exceeded his margin of victory over Democrat Mark J. Green.

Related Topics:
Michael Bloomberg - Mayor - New York City - Fusion - Mark J. Green

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In 2002, Golisano again sought the party's gubernatorial nomination. There was a movement within the party to nominate George Pataki, the Republican incumbent. Golisano won the nomination in a close primary. Golisano charged that the Pataki campaign had filed thousands of fraudulent Independence Party registrations as an attempt to marginalize upstate New York's already limited power in state government as Pataki saw Golisano's candidacy threatening to the Republican power-base in upstate. In the general election, Pataki was endorsed by Lenora Fulani, who has tried to become one of the leaders of the party since its founding and is widely viewed as the key person in the anti-Golisano faction within the party.

Related Topics:
George Pataki - Primary - Lenora Fulani

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In 2004 the party endorsed Ralph Nader in his independent bid for president, as did the Peace and Justice Party.

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With the approach of the 2005 elections for municipal offices, Bloomberg gave the Fulani-controlled Manhattan branch of the party $250,000 to fund a phone bank seeking to recruit volunteers for Bloomberg's re-election campaign. http://nydailynews.com/front/story/268291p-229740c.html

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On May 28th, 2005, the Independence Party endorsed Michael Bloomberg for re-election.

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