Constitution Party (United States)

Constitution Party
ChairpersonJustin Magill
Founded1990; 36 years ago (1990)
Split fromRepublican Party
Headquarters408 West Chestnut Street, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17603
Registered voters (July 2026)145,511 (0.11%)
Ideology
Political positionFar-right
Colors      Red, white and blue (national colors)
  Purple (de facto)
Senate
0 / 100
House of Representatives
0 / 435
State governors
0 / 50
State upper chambers
0 / 1,972
State lower chambers
0 / 5,411
Territorial governors
0 / 5
Seats in territorial upper chambers
0 / 97
Seats in territorial lower chambers
0 / 91
Other elected offices25 (June 2025)
Website
constitutionparty.com Edit this at Wikidata
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The Constitution Party (CP), named the U.S. Taxpayers' Party until 1999, is an ultraconservative political party in the United States. The party promotes Christian nationalism and cultural conservatism combined with right-libertarianism and protectionism, in a variant of American fusionism.

The party was founded by Howard Phillips, a conservative activist, after President George H. W. Bush violated his pledge of "read my lips: no new taxes".

As of 2026, the Constitution Party is the 7th-largest political party in the United States by voter registration. The Constitution Party has seen limited success in local elections, but almost no success in state or federal elections, behind the Working Families Party or Democratic Socialists of America.

History

At the 1988 Republican National Convention, Republican presidential nominee George H. W. Bush stated "read my lips: no new taxes", but later raised taxes in a 1990 compromise. Conservative activist Howard Phillips ran the U.S. Taxpayers Alliance newsletter. Over 1990-91, Phillips used this mailing list to organize a third party called the U.S. Taxpayers' Party. In July 1991, Phillips attempted to create a coalition with the American Party, which was rejected. In July 1991, USTP launched its first ballot access petition drive, to get party candidate Jack Perry on the ballot in the 1991 US Senate special election in Pennsylvania.

In 1992, USTP sought to nominate Ross Perot or Pat Buchanan, who both declined, leading Phillips to run. In 1996, the party sought Pat Buchanan again, who declined again, leading Phillips to run again.

On September 3, 1999, the USTP national convention renamed the party to the Constitution Party (CP). In 2000, the party split in two, with those who advocated an explicitly religious party leaving to create the American Heritage Party, now named the Christian Liberty Party.

In the 2005 special election for CA-48, Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist was the nominee of the California American Independent Party, then affiliated with the Constitution Party. Gilchrist raised more money than all Democratic candidates combined. Gilchrist placed 3rd with 26,507 votes (25.5%), the highest vote share for a third party candidate for US House election where both major parties participated since the A Connecticut Party received 26.3% in 1994 for CT-1.

In the 2010 Colorado gubernatorial election, Colorado CP affiliate American Constitution Party nominated Tom Tancredo, who received 36% of the popular vote, over the 10% required for major party status in Colorado. Major party status in Colorado gave the party the ability to appoint members to some state boards and commissions, but the party suffered from complicated campaign finance reports and fines from errors in their submissions, which ultimately gave the party a negative bank account balance.

In 2024, in North Carolina's newly-redrawn 6th district, the Democratic Party did not field a candidate, yielding a two-way race between Republican Addison McDowell and Constitution Party member Kevin Hayes. Hayes lost with 104,017 votes (30.8%).

Republicans have criticized the party as a spoiler party. In some cases, the Democratic Party has helped Constitution Party candidates, such as running ads for the CP nominee in the 2020 South Carolina Senate election or helping 2024 CP presidential candidate Randall Terry get ballot access.

Political positions

The Constitution Party has been described as paleoconservative or ultraconservative, Christian right, or Christian reconstructionist. The party promotes Social conservative and fiscal conservative views and is usually described as far-right.

Economic issues

The Constitution Party supports private charity and rejects all social insurance and social spending as inefficient and un-Constitutional.[better source needed] The party opposes Medicaid and Medicare[better source needed] and supports phasing out Social Security.[better source needed] The party seeks to eliminate income taxes and payroll taxes, using only tariffs and excise taxes.[better source needed] The party supports the gold standard.[better source needed] The party also supports a ban on fractional-reserve banking.[better source needed]

The party rejects the scientific consensus on climate change, saying that "globalists are using the global warming threat to gain more control via worldwide sustainable development".[better source needed] The party seeks to abolish the Department of Energy and allow a free market in energy production. [better source needed]

Social issues

Christian reconstructionist leader R. J. Rushdoony helped write the party's 1992 platform, which stated "the U.S. Constitution established a republic under God, not a democracy".[citation needed] The Constitution Party supports Christian dominionism, the remaking of government and society according to Old Testament Biblical law. The 2004 platform states that the Lordship of Christ Jesus and the Bible are the final authority of law.

The party opposes same-sex marriage, saying "our Creator defines marriage as the union between one man and one woman", and opposes same-sex adoption.[better source needed] It supports proscriptions on "offensive sexual behavior" and rejects "the notion that homosexuals, transgenders [sic] or those who are sexually deviant" deserve legal protection.[better source needed] The party supports a pornography ban, calling it a "destructive element" that yields "real emotional, physical, spiritual and financial costs to individuals, families and communities".[better source needed] The party opposes abortion in all cases.[better source needed] The party supports the death penalty.[better source needed]

The Constitution Party supports stricter immigration controls and an immigration moratorium until federal welfare programs are eliminated.[better source needed] The party rejects jus soli citizenship for children of illegal immigrants. The party says the United States military should enforce immigration policy.[better source needed] The party supports English as the official language and English as a citizenship requirement.[better source needed]

Democratic reform

The Constitution Party supports the Electoral College and opposes a national popular vote.[better source needed] The party seeks to repeal the Seventeenth Amendment, which requires the direct popular election of Senators, and before which state legislatures elected all Senators.[better source needed] The party supports very strong states' rights, holding that each state's membership in the Union is voluntary (the compact theory) with a right to secede.[better source needed]

Foreign policy

The Constitution Party supports a protectionist tariff system to counteract the United States' negative balance of trade.[better source needed] The party supports US withdrawal from multinational and international organizations, such as the United Nations, NATO, NAFTA, and the WTO.[citation needed]

Structure and composition

The Constitution Party National Convention, held every four years, sets CP priorities and selects its presidential candidate.

Registered voters

As of July 2026 the Constitution Party has 145,511 (0.11%) registered voters, the 7th-highest in the United States. Nevada has the most registered CP members, at 85,682 (4.14%), then Florida at 18,383 (0.14%).

Year Voters % Change Ref
1992247,9950.3Steady
1994246,9510.3Steady
1996306,9000.4Increase 0.1%
1998317,5100.4Steady
2000348,9770.4Steady
2002325,8280.4Steady
2004367,5210.4Steady
2008438,2220.4Steady
2010476,6690.5Increase 0.1%
201277,9180.1Decrease 0.4%
201692,4830.1Steady
2018105,6680.1Steady
2020118,0880.1Steady
2021137,3670.1Steady
2026145,5110.1Steady

Officeholders

The Constitution Party has had limited electoral success at the state legislature and local level. Since the party's creation, 1 Constitution Party member has been elected to a state legislature. The Constitution Party has never won a statewide or federal election.

Local offices

On November 5, 2002, Greg Moeller became the first member of the Constitution Party to win a partisan election, as Scott Township Trustee in Hamilton County, Iowa, with only a write-in opponent.

As of June 2025, the Constitution Party has 28 members who have been elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the United States.

State offices

On February 15, 2000, Rick Jore, a three-term Republican member of the Montana House of Representatives who had attended the 1999 Constitution Party National Convention, announced that he was leaving the Republican Party and joining the Constitution Party. Jore unsuccessfully sought reelection in 2000, and unsuccessfully attempted to win election to the Montana House of Representatives in 2002, and 2004, before winning election to the state house in 2006. He was the first Constitution Party candidate to be elected to a state legislature.

Election results

Best results in major races

Office Percent (%) District Year Candidate
President 1.3 Utah 2008 Chuck Baldwin
1.2 Alaska 2016 Darrell Castle
0.8 Washington 2016 Darrell Castle
US Senate 5.7 Utah 2010 Scott Bradley
5.2 Oregon 2008 David Brownlow
4.0 Pennsylvania 2004 Jim Clymer
US House 30.8 North Carolina District 6 2024 Kevin Hayes
21.1 Florida District 16 2002 Jack McClain
16.9 Alabama District 1 2010 David M. Walter
Governor 36.4 Colorado 2010 Tom Tancredo
15.5 Nevada 1974 James Houston
12.8 Pennsylvania 1994 Peg Luksik

President

Year Presidential nominee Home state Previous positions Vice presidential nominee Home state Previous positions Votes Notes
1992
Howard Phillips		 Virginia Chairman of The Conservative Caucus
Candidate for Massachusetts's 6th congressional district
(1970)
Candidate for United States Senator from Massachusetts
(1978)
Albion W. Knight		 Florida Presiding Bishop of the United Episcopal Church of North America
(1989–1992)		 43,369 (nil%)
0 EV (#7)
1996
Howard Phillips		 Virginia (see above for previous positions)
Nominee for President of the United States
(1992)		 Herbert Titus Oregon Lawyer, writer 184,656 (0.2%)
0 EV (#6)
2000
Howard Phillips		 Virginia (see above for previous positions)
Nominee for President of the United States
(1992; 1996)		 Curtis Frazier Missouri Nominee for United States Senator from Missouri
(1998)		 98,020 (0.1%)
0 EV (#6)
2004 Michael Peroutka Maryland Lawyer
Founder of the Institute on the Constitution
Chuck Baldwin		 Florida Pastor, radio host 143,630 (0.1%)
0 EV (#5)
2008
Chuck Baldwin
(campaign)		 Florida Nominee for Vice President of the United States
(2004)
Darrell Castle		 Tennessee Lawyer 199,750 (0.2%)
0 EV (#5)
2012
Virgil Goode
(campaign)		 Virginia Member of the Virginia Senate
(1973–1997)
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia's 5th district
(1997–2009)		 Jim Clymer Pennsylvania Nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
(1994; 1998)
Chair of the Constitution Party
(1999–2012)
Nominee for Attorney General of Pennsylvania
(2000)
Nominee for United States Senator from Pennsylvania
(2004)		 122,388 (0.1%)
0 EV (#5)
2016
Darrell Castle
(campaign)		 Tennessee Nominee for Vice President of the United States
(2008)		 Scott Bradley Utah Nominee for United States Senator from Utah
(2006; 2010)		 203,069 (0.2%)
0 EV (#6)
2020
Don Blankenship		 West Virginia Former CEO of Massey Energy
Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from West Virginia (2018)
William Mohr		 Michigan Chairman of the U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan 60,023 (nil%)
0 EV (#8)
2024
Randall Terry
(campaign)		 Tennessee Anti-abortion activist
Candidate in the 2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries
Stephen Broden		 Texas Pastor
Republican candidate for U.S. House in Texas (2010)		 41,107 (nil%)
0 EV (#8)
2024 (alternate)
Joel Skousen
 Utah Survivalist and consultant from Utah
Rik Combs		 Missouri Businessman and 2020 Libertarian nominee for governor from Missouri 12,783 (nil%)
0 EV (#8)

State parties

Current affiliates

Former affiliates

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Voter registration rank excludes the many different "Independent" parties, with which many voters register in error, and which usually do not run any competitive candidates.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 In 2019, the Virginia, Idaho, South Dakota, and Alaska Constitution parties disaffiliated with the national Constitution Party. The Montana Constitution Party disbanded. On April 14, the Constitution Party of Virginia's state committee voted to reaffiliate with the national Constitution Party, but was rejected by the national party on May 2.
  3. ↑ The Constitution Party of Oregon disaffiliated with the Constitution Party of the United States in 2006 in a dispute over abortion policy.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Winger, Richard (July 24, 2026). "July 2026 Ballot Access News Print Edition". Ballot Access News. Retrieved September 21, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Ideological Third Parties and Splinter Parties". Boundless. Archived from the original on January 16, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  3. 1 2 Hudson, Deal (2008). Onward, Christian Soldiers: The Growing Political Power of Catholics and Evangelicals in the United States. Simon & Schuster. p. 82. ISBN 9781416565895. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  4. 1 2 Cox, Vicki (2007). The History of Third Parties. Infobase Publishing. p. 79.
  5. 1 2
  6. 1 2
  7. 1 2 "Current Office Holders". Constitution Party. October 29, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Riled GOP right wing putting Bush on notice". The Atlanta Constitution. November 11, 1990. p. 31. Retrieved September 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Integrity of Principles". Park Record. September 5, 1991. p. 14. Retrieved September 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Phillips Calls For New Party" (PDF). Ballot Access News. February 9, 1991. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 14, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Religious right agenda is basis of new party". Tampa Bay Times. July 20, 1991. p. 55. Retrieved September 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "First petition campaign" (PDF). Ballot Access News. July 22, 1991. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 18, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Rumors boost Rose Perot for the presidency". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. November 24, 1991. p. 7. Retrieved September 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Clymer forms the U.S. Taxpayer Party in Pa". Intelligencer Journal. November 25, 1991. p. 8. Retrieved September 5, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Taxpayers Party To Run Phillips" (PDF). Ballot Access News. February 2, 1992. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 7, 2020.
  16. ↑ "Independent party wants Buchanan". Billings Gazette. March 21, 1996. p. 7. Retrieved September 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "U.S. Taxpayers Party Convention". Ballot Access News. September 9, 1996. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Taxpayers' Party". Ballot Access News. October 1, 1999. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Phillips Wins Massachusetts Race" (PDF). Ballot Access News. March 30, 1992. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 14, 2020.
  20. ↑ Blevins, Dave (2006). American Political Parties in the 21st Century. McFarland & Company. pp. 15–17. ISBN 978-0-7864-2480-1.
  21. ↑ Day, Alan John (2002). Political Parties of the World. John Harper. p. 508. ISBN 978-0-9536278-7-5.
  22. ↑ "Constitution Party to contest special congressional election". Ballot Access News. August 20, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Constitution Candidate Raises More Money than Democrat". Ballot Access News. September 25, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  24. ↑ "2005 Special Election Results" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. December 6, 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 29, 2008.
  25. ↑ "Calif. Congressional Election". Ballot Access News. December 6, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  26. ↑ "American Constitution Party faces major headaches as a major Colorado party". West World. March 6, 2012. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Constitution Party Now Entitled to Appoint Members to 17 Colorado State Boards". Ballot Access News. November 19, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Colorado Constitution Party Suffers from Being a Qualified Major Party". Ballot Access News. August 27, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  29. ↑ Zehnder, Katherine (July 18, 2024). "Constitution Party candidates file for November ballot". Carolina Journal. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  30. ↑ "Republican Addison McDowell wins NC's 6th Congressional District race". North State Journal. November 5, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  31. ↑ Whittington, Lauren W. (June 16, 2004). "Skunk at the Garden Party?". Roll Call. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  32. ↑ Schultheis, Emily (September 21, 2012). "Virginia allows Constitution Party candidate to stay on the ballot". POLITICO. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  33. ↑ Rubin, Gabriel T. (October 16, 2020). "Third-Party Candidates Could Play Spoiler in Tight Senate Races". wsj.com. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  34. ↑ Schleifer, Theodore (August 29, 2024). "To Beat Trump, Democrats Seek to Help Anti-Abortion Candidate". The New York Times. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  35. ↑ Kleefeld, Eric (July 26, 2010). "Tancredo's New Home In The Constitution Party: A Religious, Paleoconservative Group Without Much Electoral Success". Talking Points Memo. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Constitutionally Contentious". The American Spectator. April 21, 2008. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  37. ↑ Rudin, Ken. "Election 2010 Scorecard". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  38. ↑ Joyce, Kathryn (2010). Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement. Beacon Press. pp. 7, 28. ISBN 978-0807010730.
  39. ↑ Cohen, Nancy L. (2012). Delirium: The Politics of Sex in America. Counterpoint. p. 321. ISBN 978-1582438016.
  40. ↑ Lovell, Jarret S. (2009). Crimes of Dissent: Civil Disobedience, Criminal Justice, and the Politics of Conscience. New York University Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-0814752272.
  41. ↑ Smith, Ben (May 4, 2010). "Goode joins Constitution Party". Politico. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  42. ↑ "Party Platform (Welfare)". Constitutionparty.org. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Party Platform (Health Care and Government)". Constitutionparty.org. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  44. ↑ Social Security Phase-out Plan Archived February 23, 2014, at the Wayback Machine; Constitution Party organization online; retrieved .
  45. 1 2 3 4 "Constitution Party Platform, 2016-2020" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on September 15, 2016.
  46. ↑ "Party Platform (Taxes)". Constitutionparty.org. Archived from the original on February 19, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  47. ↑ "Party Platform (Environment)". Constitutionparty.org. September 21, 2013. Archived from the original on April 1, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  48. ↑ Party Platform (Energy) Archived April 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Constitutionparty.org, Retrieved April 2, 2014
  49. ↑ "Far-right U.S. Taxpayers Party convening today in San Diego". Asbury Park Press. August 15, 1996. p. 7. Retrieved September 12, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  50. ↑ "Floyd is Constitution Party convention delegate". The Magee Courier. July 15, 2004. p. 9. Retrieved September 12, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  51. ↑ "Party Platform (Family)". Constitutionparty.org. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  52. ↑ "Constitution Party on Civil Rights". OnTheIssues.org. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  53. ↑ "Party Platform (Pornography, Obscenity, and Sexually Oriented Businesses)". Constitutionparty.org. September 21, 2013. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  54. ↑ "Party Platform (Sanctity of Life)". Constitutionparty.org. Archived from the original on September 29, 2016. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  55. ↑ "Party Platform (Crime)". Constitutionparty.org. September 21, 2013. Archived from the original on February 18, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  56. 1 2 3 "Party Platform (Immigration)". Constitutionparty.org. Archived from the original on February 18, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  57. ↑ "Party Platform (Congressional Reform)". Constitutionparty.org. September 21, 2013. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  58. ↑ "Party Platform (Statehood)". Constitutionparty.org. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  59. ↑ "Party Platform (Tariffs and Trade)". Constitutionparty.org. Archived from the original on February 19, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  60. ↑ "1992 to 1998 voter registration "1998 Registration Totals (table)"". Ballot Access News. December 8, 1998. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  61. ↑ "2000 to 2002 voter registration "2002 October Registration Totals"". Ballot Access News. December 1, 2000. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  62. ↑ "2004 voter registration "Mid-2006 Registration Totals"". Ballot Access News. December 8, 1998. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  63. ↑ "October 2012 Registration Totals". Ballot Access News. December 1, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  64. ↑ "Early 2020 Voter Registration Totals". Ballot Access News. March 1, 2012. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  65. ↑ Winger, Richard (March 28, 2021). "March 2021 Ballot Access News Print Edition". Ballot Access News. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  66. ↑ "Constitution Party Wins Its First Partisan Election". Ballot Access News. January 1, 2003. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  67. ↑ "Constitution Party Has A State Legislator". Ballot Access News. March 1, 2000. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  68. ↑ "Constitution Party". Ballot Access News. March 1, 2000. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  69. ↑ "Montana Supreme Court Unseats Jore". Ballot Access News. January 1, 2005. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  70. ↑ Joseph Sobran was the original vice presidential nominee, but he withdrew from the ticket and was replaced by Frazier.
  71. ↑ In Montana, Baldwin and Castle did not appear on the ballot; instead, Ron Paul and Michael Peroutka appeared as the Constitution presidential and vice presidential nominees, respectively. Paul and Peroutka received an additional 10,638 votes.
  72. 1 2 Nelson, Steven (August 9, 2016). "Bible Says No to Trump-Clinton Choice, Third-Party Candidate Says". US News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  73. ↑ In Idaho, Castle and Bradley did not appear on the ballot under the Constitution Party; instead, Scott Copeland and J. R. Myers appeared as the Constitution presidential and vice presidential nominees, respectively. Copeland and Myers received an additional 2,356 votes. Castle and Bradley ran in the state as independents and received 4,411 votes.
  74. ↑ "William Mohr". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on May 16, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  75. 1 2 "Randall Terry Wins Constitution Party's Presidential Nomination | Ballot Access News". April 27, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  76. ↑ "Virginia Constitution Party Disaffiliates From National CP". Independent Political Report. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  77. ↑ "CPV Appeal to Reassociate with National Constitution Party Rejected". Constitution Party of Virginia. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  78. ↑ "Constitution Party of Oregon Affiliates Itself with the National Alliance of Independent American Parties". Ballot Access News. September 7, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2020.

Bibliography