American Heritage Party

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American Heritage Party
Chairman	Daniel Eby
Senate leader	None
House leader	None
Founded	1996 (1996); became independent party in 2000
Headquarters	P.O. Box 241, Leavenworth, WA 98826-0241
Ideology	Paleoconservatism, American Nationalism, dominionism
Political position	Fiscal: Right-wing (Christian-Right) Social: Right-wing (non-interventionist) & (Christian-Right)
International affiliation	None
Official colors	Red, white, and blue
Website
http://americanheritageparty.org
Politics of the United States Political parties Elections

The American Heritage Party is a minor conservative political party in the United States that is now called the Christian Liberty Party. It began as a state affiliate of the Constitution (then Taxpayers) Party (CP). It disaffiliated from the national CP, reorganized itself as a national party and took the "Christian Liberty Party" name.

History

Foundation

The American Heritage Party originally began as a Washington state affiliate of the U.S. Taxpayers Party (USTP) in 1992, primarily as a campaign vehicle for William C. Goodloe, a former Justice of the Washington State Supreme Court, who ran for the United States Senate that year.

After meeting Howard Phillips in 1991, Goodloe agreed to form a state party affiliate in support of a new national party effort. Goodloe changed the name of his fledgling party from the "American Party" to "Washington Taxpayers Party" (WTP). Judge Goodloe helped Phillips gain ballot access for the U.S. Taxpayers Party in Washington, allowing Phillips to run as a WTP presidential candidate during the 1992 campaign, while Goodloe also ran as a WTP candidate.

In 1993, Goodloe left the Taxpayers Party and the state party became defunct. He turned the records and checking account over to Todd Richert who was appointed State Coordinator by the national party.

1996 elections

For the 1996 election cycle, Todd Richert recruited activists to assist with ballot access. Howard Phillips flew out to attend the ballot access meetings, insisting that formal party organizing should be part of the agenda. Richert was elected State Chairman.

For the second time, Howard Phillips was the presidential nominee of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.

1998 elections

For the 1998 election cycle, the American Heritage Party fielded two candidates for congress. Bruce Craswell, in the 1st Congressional District and John Beal in the 5th Congressional District.^[1]

Structure

Even before the elections were over, activists expressed a strong desire for a more permanent state party, rather than to solely seek ballot access at each election. Richert instituted a formal party membership system in November 1996, and recruited a small Policy Board which would work to organize a formal party structure.

It was mutually agreed that at the next organizing convention, the Policy Board would encourage the membership to endorse a slate of state officers which included Dan Eby assuming position as State Chairman.

Most of the state membership preferred the name "American Heritage Party" to"Washington Taxpayers Party", so when Eby called a special convention for considering the name change, the nays were few. The Washington Taxpayers Party became the American Heritage Party in 1998, but still a state affiliate of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.

2000 election

For the 2000 election cycle, the national party held its nominating convention a year early, in 1999 in St. Louis, in order to take advantage of certain campaign fundraising laws. This convention is where the national party changed its name to the Constitution Party. The national convention revealed to the AHP state party leadership a number of growing concerns centered on worldview, strategy, philosophy and ethics.

Party split

Eby called a special convention for disaffiliation of the AHP from the national party in November 1999. The motion did not pass but became official in the spring of 2000.

In March 2000, former members reorganized under the new Constitution Party moniker. The new Constitution Party of Washington (CPW) was formed, with Richert elected chairman. Richert immediately applied to the national party for formal consideration as the new state affiliate.

The American Heritage Party was expelled from the Constitution Party and replaced by the CPW as the state affiliate.

National party status

The AHP organized a national party in 2000 and Eby was elected Chairman.

On September 18, 2010 the party announced that after extensive review and consideration, the National Committee of the AHP changed the party name to the Christian Liberty Party.

Electoral history

President of the United States

United States Congress

Washington State Legislature

County elections

References

External links

• Official Christian Liberty Party website
• Educational Website of Christian Liberty Party
• 72nd “American View:” Interviews Daniel Eby, National Chairman “American Heritage Party”
• One Nation Under Shatner
• 1st Congressional District election results
• 5th Congressional District election results
• Bruce Craswell's voter pamphlet statement
• John Beal's voter pamphlet statement

v t e Washington political parties Major Democratic Republican Minor American Heritage Constitution Green Libertarian Freedom Socialist Political party strength in Washington

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