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Press Release
May 28, 2008
Contact MP Chair Bob Henry Baber 304-462-0320
Mountain Party Convention Nominates Candidate for Governor, National Convention Delegates, and Crossover Endorsement for Supreme Court
West Virginia's only independent party with ballot status, the Mountain Party
(MP), held its state convention in Sutton on Sunday April 27 and selected its
eight delegates to send to the Green Party National Convention being held in
Chicago this summer. At the Chicago convention, the Green Party, with which the
Mountain Party is now officially affiliated, will select a Presidential
candidate who will be placed on the MP ballot line in November. By apportionment
of the votes cast by the 1,000 member Mountain Party, Jesse Johnson received six
delegates and Cynthia Mc Kinney received two. These eight delegates were
selected to hand-carry their votes to Illinois.
The Mountain Party again nominated Jesse Johnson to run as its candidate for
governor in this fall's election. Johnson ran four years ago and garnered 3% of
the vote—one of the highest percentages for a third-party gubernatorial
candidate in the country. "I'm honored to be chosen to bring my practical ideas
to the table once again for the betterment of our state and nation," stated
Johnson. Johnson is also in the running for the national Green Party
presidential nomination and has been campaigning across the nation on a platform
of taking back our democracy and rescuing the middle class.
Two other candidates who previously filed for the WV House of Delegates were
present at the convention, Robin Mills for the 51st and John Wellbourn for the
30th district. Also running as Mountain Party candidates in the November
Election are James "Andy" Waddell for the 11th State Senate District and Klaus
Heitmann for the Berkeley County Commission.
"We conducted a cordial and successful convention," said Mountain Party Chair,
Bob Henry Baber. "We are proud to offer both local and national alternatives to
the broken two party system. We are also pleased to be the only party in West
Virginia that opposes Mountaintop Removal, and that supports an impressive array
of progressive stances on issues such as universal healthcare, worker's rights,
environmental issues, human rights, and the like. If you're fed up with the
status quo, the Mountain/Green Party offers real alternatives for real
people—people such as you!"
In an unusual move for an unusual party, the Mountain Party crossed traditional
lines and endorsed Democrat Margaret Workman for the West Virginia State Supreme
Court. Workman received the most Democratic Primary votes for the high court and
will appear on the November Democratic ballot with Menis Ketchum and Beth Walker
as the lone Republican Supreme Court candidate. The Court has recently been
embroiled in controversy over some Justices' cozy relationships with executives
of coal companies that currently have multi-million dollar legal issues being
considered by the court.
Officers elected for two-year terms were: Chair, Bob Henry Baber, Vice-Chair,
Bill Price, Secretary, Karen Grubb, Treasurer, Frank Young, and Deputy
Commissioners, Lesia Null, Greg Carroll, and Eric McLaughlin
For more information on the Mountain Party contact fyoung@mountain.net
304-372-3945 or mayorbobhenrybaber@yahoo.com (304) 462-0320, or write The
Mountain Party, 207 Howard Street Glenville, W.V. 26351. Jesse Johnson can be
reached at 304-541-9841
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