The American Party of the United States is a conservative political party in the United States. The party adheres to its Permanent Principles, which were established in 1969.
The party nominated the same candidates in 1968 and 1972 as the American Independent Party, before diverging and nominating their own candidates from 1976 onwards.
History
The party began as part of the American Independent Party, supporters of George Wallace's 1968 campaign for the presidency, and was the formal name of the party on the ballot in Tennessee. The party rejected terms such as "liberal" or "conservative" instead defining themselves as those who "acknowledges the Lord God as the Creator, Preserver, and Ruler of the Universe and of the Nation."
The party claimed to represent "forgotten Americans" who are insulted as "Archie Bunker" and are called "old fashioned" and "flag wavers" to offer them a real patriotic option, instead of the "lesser of two evils."
The party was opposed to the Vietnam War claiming it was illegal since Congress never authorized American entry, and that it led to a generation of Americans to suffer through a war that the government had no intention of winning. However, the party also supported extra-judicial raids on Viet Cong prison camps to liberate POWs.
In 1969, the AIP became the American Party at a convention attended by representatives from 37 states. Following the 1972 election, the American Party formally split from the American Independent Party. Both parties have nominated candidates for the presidency and other offices, although the AIP has in more recent years considered itself a California affiliate of the Constitution Party.
In New York, the American Party ran a state ticket in 1974 under the name of Courage Party, because a state law there prohibits the use of the word "American" on the ballot. The AIP won its strongest finish in the 1972 presidential election; nominee John G. Schmitz carried 1,090,673 votes (3rd place).
In 1990, some former members of the American party founded the Christian Party.Dennis, Delmar "The American Party" Contra Mundum Volume 4 (Summer 1992), pages 46-47.
In 1995, the Utah Independent American Party became the party's Utah state affiliate.
The American Party has failed to achieve ballot status in any state since 1996.
In 1998, the Utah party split and formed the Independent American Party, and began pursuing their own state affiliate parties across the country.
The party's website disappeared sometime in 2008.
In 2010, the Ohio party endorsed several Libertarian Party candidates.
The party had a Florida affiliate, the American Party of Florida, that appeared to carry on operations into June 2011, but became defunct after that and no longer is listed as a political party in Florida.
In 2015, the party created a new website; a Twitter account and Facebook page were also created. The American Party is now formally known as the "American Party of the United States", and disclaims any association with the "American Party of South Carolina", the "Independent American Party", or the "American Party of America".
Presidential and vice-presidential candidates Electoral History of the American Party + American Party National CampaignsYearConvention Site & CityDates Presidential nominee Vice-Pres. nominee Votes1968 George C. Wallace (Alabama) Curtis LeMay (Ohio) 9,901,1511972 Freedom Hall, Louisville, Kentucky August 3–5, 1972 U.S. Rep. John G. Schmitz (California) Thomas J. Anderson (Tennessee) 1,090,6731976 Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah June 16–20, 1976 Thomas J. Anderson (Tennessee) Rufus E. Shackleford (Florida) 160,773 1980 Pasadena, California December 8–9, 1979 Percy L. Greaves, Jr. (New York) Frank L. Varnum (California) 6,648Anti-Greaves ticket in Kansas Frank W. Shelton (Kansas) George E. Jackson 1,555Unpledged Anti-Greaves Presidential Electors in Minnesota No nominee No nominee 6,1361984 Charlotte, North Carolina December 1–3, 1983 Delmar Dennis (Tennessee) Traves Brownlee (Delaware) 13,1611988 Salt Lake City, Utah June 1987 Delmar Dennis (Tennessee) Earl Jeppson 3,4751992 Pensacola, Florida June 1992 Robert J. Smith (Utah) Doris Feimer (North Dakota) 2921996 Wichita, Kansas March 1996 Diane Beall Templin (California) Gary Van Horn (Utah) 1,8472000 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma March 30–31, 2000 Don Rogers (California) Al Moore (Virginia) 0 2004 Bob Carpenter Center Newark, Delaware July 11–12, 2003 Robert N. Boyd (Indiana) (withdrew) Walton C. Thompson (withdrew) 0 Kenner, Louisiana January 10, 2004 Diane Beall Templin (California) Al Moore (Virginia) 0 2008 Jacaranda Hotel, Avon Park, Florida March 7–8, 2008 Diane Beall Templin (California) Linda Patterson (Indiana) 02016 Kansas City, Missouri May 6–7, 2016 Tom Hoefling (Iowa) Steve Schulin (South Carolina)
Sources for table: Ohio Elects the President (2000), pp. 143–174. American Party history at OurCampaigns.com James T. Havel, U.S. Presidential Candidates and the Elections, vol. 2
Notes
References
Dennis, Delmar "The American Party" Contra Mundum Volume 4 (Summer 1992), pages 46–47. The American Party of the United States. americanpartyofus.com/ A brief history can be found on ourcampaigns.com
External links Parties at politics.com americanpartyofus.com on archive.org ourcampaigns.com Utah County American Party Collection; MSS 1708; 20th Century Western & Mormon Manuscripts; L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University