Constitution Party (United States)
Updated: 11/4/2025, 10:00:20 PM Wikipedia source
The Constitution Party, named the U.S. Taxpayers' Party until 1999, is an ultra-conservative political party in the United States that promotes a religiously conservative interpretation of the principles and intents of the United States Constitution. The party platform is based on originalist interpretations of the Constitution and shaped by principles which it believes were set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution and the Bible. 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". During the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections, the party sought to give its presidential nomination to prominent politicians including Pat Buchanan and Ross Perot, but was unsuccessful and instead selected Phillips as its presidential nominee in three successive elections. Michael Peroutka was given the presidential nomination in 2004, followed by Chuck Baldwin in 2008 (although he faced opposition from multiple state affiliates), Virgil Goode in 2012, Darrell Castle in 2016, Don Blankenship in 2020 and Randall Terry in 2024. In 2000, Rick Jore, a three-term Republican member of the Montana House of Representatives, became a member of the Constitution Party and the first member of the party to hold a seat in a state legislature as a Constitution Party member in 2006. He was defeated in the 2000, 2002 and 2004 elections; however, he was elected to the Montana state legislature in 2006, the first Constitution Party candidate to be elected. In 2002, Greg Moeller became the first member of the party to win a partisan election. The Constitution parties of Minnesota and Colorado have both achieved major party status once. As of June 2024, the Constitution Party has 28 members who have been elected to city council seats and other municipal offices across the United States. In terms of registered members, the party ranks fifth among national parties in the United States.
Infobox
Tables
| Year | RV. | % | Change |
| 1992 | 247,995 | 0.3 | |
| 1994 | 246,951 | 0.3 | nil% |
| 1996 | 306,900 | 0.4 | nil% |
| 1998 | 317,510 | 0.4 | nil% |
| 2000 | 348,977 | 0.4 | nil% |
| 2002 | 325,828 | 0.4 | nil% |
| 2004 | 367,521 | 0.4 | nil% |
| 2008 | 438,222 | 0.4 | 0.1% |
| 2010 | 476,669 | 0.5 | nil% |
| 2012 | 77,918 | 0.1 | 0.4% |
| 2016 | 92,483 | 0.1 | nil% |
| 2018 | 105,668 | 0.1 | nil% |
| 2020 | 118,088 | 0.1 | nil% |
| 2021 | 137,367 | 0.1 | nil% |
| Year | Presidential nominee | Home state | Previous positions | Vice presidential nominee | Home state | Previous positions | Votes | Notes |
| 1992 | Howard Phillips | Virginia | Chairman of The Conservative CaucusCandidate 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 | LawyerFounder 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 activistCandidate in the 2012 Democratic Party presidential primaries | Stephen Broden | Texas | PastorRepublican 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) |
| Election year | No. of overall votes | % of overall vote | No. of representatives | +/- |
| 2000 | 122,936 | 0.1 | 0 / 435 | |
| 2002 | 99,306 | 0.1 | 0 / 435 | 0 |
| 2004 | 132,613 | 0.2 | 0 / 435 | 0 |
| 2006 | 68,031 | 0.1 | 0 / 435 | 0 |
| 2008 | 136,021 | 0.1 | 0 / 435 | 0 |
| 2010 | 123,841 | 0.1 | 0 / 435 | 0 |
| 2012 | 118,102 | 0.1 | 0 / 435 | 0 |
| 2016 | 127,376 | 0.1 | 0 / 435 | 0 |
| 2018 | 74,956 | nil | 0 / 435 | 0 |
| 2020 | 82,567 | 0.1 | 0 / 435 | 0 |
| 2022 | 44,314 | 0.04% | 0 / 435 | 0 |
| General election results source: | ||||
| Election year | No. of total votes | % of vote | No. of seats won |
| 1998 | 183,588 | 0.3 | 0 |
| 2000 | 286,816 | 0.4 | 0 |
| 2002 | 60,456 | 0.1 | 0 |
| 2004 | 404,853 | 0.5 | 0 |
| 2006 | 133,037 | 0.2 | 0 |
| 2008 | 240,729 | 0.4 | 0 |
| 2010 | 338,593 | 0.5 | 0 |
| 2012 | 140,636 | 0.2 | 0 |
| 2014 | 100,395 | 0.2 | 0 |
| 2016 | 93,315 | 0.1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 57,932 | 0.1 | 0 |
| 2020 | 110,851 | 0.1 | 0 |
| 2022 | 40,419 | 0.05 | 0 |
| General election results source: | |||
| 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 | 2024 | Carlton Bowen |
| 5.7 | Utah | 2010 | Scott Bradley | |
| 5.2 | Oregon | 2008 | David Brownlow | |
| 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 |
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- "Party Platform (Taxes)"http://www.constitutionparty.com/taxes/
- "Party Platform (Sanctity of Life)"http://www.constitutionparty.com/the-sanctity-of-life-2/
- "Party Platform (Crime)"http://www.constitutionparty.com/crime/
- "Party Platform (Family)"http://www.constitutionparty.com/family/
- OnTheIssues.orghttps://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/Constitution_Party_Civil_Rights.htm
- "Party Platform (Pornography, Obscenity, and Sexually Oriented Businesses)"http://www.constitutionparty.com/pornography-obscenity-and-sexually-oriented-businesses/
- "Party Platform (Gambling)"http://www.constitutionparty.com/gambling/
- "Party Platform (Drug Abuse)"http://www.constitutionparty.com/drug-abuse/
- "Party Platform (Welfare)"https://web.archive.org/web/20140221204953/http://www.constitutionparty.com/welfare/
- "Party Platform (Health Care and Government)"http://www.constitutionparty.com/healthcare-and-government/
- "Party Platform (Immigration)"http://www.constitutionparty.com/immigration/
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