The American Solidarity Party (ASP), formerly the Christian Democratic Party USA (CDPUSA), is an American syncretic political party founded in 2011 by David "Frost" Harris, Kirk Morrison, and Jack Quirk. It is a Christian democratic political party with center-left economic values and center-right social values. The party has a Solidarity National Committee (SNC) and has numerous active state and local chapters.

The American Solidarity Party has been characterized as socially conservative and economically progressive. The ASP encourages social development along the lines of subsidiarity and sphere sovereignty, with a stated emphasis on "the importance of strong nuclear families, local communities, and voluntary associations". The party adheres to a consistent life ethic, opposing abortion, assisted suicide, capital punishment, euthanasia, and unjust war. They broadly support universal healthcare, immigration, and welfare. It favors fiscally progressive policies, as well as a social market economy with a distributist character, which seeks "widespread economic participation and ownership", and providing a social safety net program.

In the 2024 United States presidential election, it was on the ballot in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Ohio, with Peter Sonski as the party's nominee.

History The American Solidarity party was founded in 2011 as the Christian Democratic Party USA (CDPUSA) by founders David "Frost" Harris, Kirk Morrison, and Jack Quirk. The party's original name was inspired by its European counterparts, the Polish trade union known as Solidarity, and the current one reflects its more developed ideology and focus in the years since. The ASP mascot is the pelican, a traditional symbol of charity.

In 2012, the CDPUSA endorsed the independent candidacy of Joe Schriner for president.

In December 2020, the American Solidarity Party joined the board of the Coalition for Free and Open Elections (COFOE).

Ideology

The American Solidarity Party largely adheres to the ideology of Christian democracy, which has been influenced by Catholic social teaching, Neo-Calvinist theology and the social teachings espoused by other traditions of Christianity in various parts of the world. As such, the ASP looks to the Christian democratic movements in Europe and the Americas.

The American Solidarity Party has been characterized as conservative on social issues while progressive on economic issues, making it communitarian.

Social issues The American Solidarity Party opposes abortion, euthanasia, and capital punishment on the basis of the sanctity of human life. It views the nuclear family as being central to society, supporting ending same sex marriage, the repeal of no-fault divorce, and direct cash payments to families proportional to the number of children they have.

The American Solidarity Party advocates for a sympathetic approach to immigration. They believe in balancing the need for secure borders with a commitment to human dignity. This involves addressing the root causes of migration, such as the impact of the country's military, political, and economic power abroad.

Economic issues The American Solidarity Party supports a universal healthcare system as well as an economy containing widespread distribution of productive property, in particular increased worker ownership and management of their production. The party is also supports economic interventionism.

Foreign policy issues The American Solidarity Party is non-interventionist in its foreign policy, using peace as its guiding principle. It supports foreign aid and nonviolent diplomacy, while opposing violent military action as a means to resolve conflicts.

Electoral reform The American Solidarity Party advocates for electoral reform, aiming to combat what they call a "political oligarchy" and gridlock. They propose proportional representation for the House of Representatives, endorse ranked-choice voting or approval voting in all elections, and support easy voter registration. The party also emphasizes fair access for independent candidates, access to impartial information, and pilot programs for electronic voting with consideration for security concerns.

Influences Daniel Silliman writes that the American Solidarity Party, as with other Christian-democratic political parties, draws from Catholic social teaching and Neo-Calvinist theology. In the same vein, David McPherson says that the American Solidarity Party "affirm[s] ... the full spectrum of Catholic social teaching (namely, the teachings regarding the sanctity of human life, the common good, subsidiarity, religious freedom, solidarity, etc.)," contrasting the ASP to both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, each of which recognizes only some of these items. Its strongest support is in California and Texas, according to the Madera Tribune (of Madera, California).

Members of the American Solidarity Party use the demonym "Solidarist" to refer to themselves.

Elections

The ASP has run candidates for federal, state, and local offices. There are currently three ASP members serving in elected office. All three are local offices.

Presidential elections

2016 During the 2016 presidential election season, the American Solidarity Party held an online convention on July 9, 2016, which nominated Amir Azarvan of Georgia for president and Mike Maturen of Michigan for vice-president. However, Azarvan subsequently withdrew, and in response the ticket was revised, with Maturen running for president and Juan Muñoz of Texas running for vice-president.

For the 2016 election, the American Solidarity Party was listed on the ballot in Colorado. It was a certified write-in option in Alabama, California, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, and Washington. Maturen received 6,697 votes in Colorado.United States third-party and independent presidential candidates, 2016#Summary

2020 In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Brian Carroll, Joe Schriner, and Joshua Perkins announced their candidacies for the ASP nomination. Carroll was declared the winner of the nomination on September 9, 2019.

For the 2020 election, the American Solidarity Party was on the ballot in Arkansas, Colorado, Guam, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

It was a certified write-in option in Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

2024 On June 2, 2023, Peter Sonski won the nomination of the party for President of the United States. The primary was conducted by an online members' vote. The vice presidential nominee, Lauren Onak, was selected by Sonski before the national convention in early July in Plano, Texas, and she was formally nominated there. The party was on the ballot in Arkansas, Alaska, Hawaii, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Ohio. Additionally, the American Solidarity Party had approved write-in status in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Year Presidential candidate Vice presidential candidate Popular votes % Electoral votes Result Ballot access Notes 2024 Peter Sonski Lauren Onak 47,070 (#8) 0 Lost Sonski had write-in access in 33 additional states. 2020 Brian Carroll Amar Patel 40,365 (#10) 0 Lost Carroll had write-in access in 31 additional states. 2016 Mike Maturen Juan Muñoz 6,697 (#15) 0 Lost Maturen had write-in access in 18 additional states.

United States Senate elections YearCandidateStateVotes%ResultNotes2024Mark RuzonCalifornia13,488 LostRan on a no party preference line2024Patrick BurkeMaryland879 LostRan as a write-in candidate2024Analisa RocheTexas1,492 LostRan as a write-in candidate2022Mark RuzonCalifornia206 LostRan as a write-in candidate

United States House of Representatives elections In addition to the candidates below, Mike Vick ran as a write-in candidate for Illinois's 2nd congressional district in 2024. Illinois does not report write-in votes separately. The party also endorsed Democrat and AND Campaign co-founder Pastor Chris Butler for U.S. Congress in Illinois's 1st congressional district in 2022. He was eliminated in the Democratic primary, receiving 3,707 votes. YearCandidateStateDistrictVotes%ResultNotes2025Reyna AndersonTexasTX-18263 LostRan as an independent; did not advance to top-two general2024Erskine LeviCaliforniaCA-311,166 LostRan on a no party preference line; did not advance to top-two general2022Oliver BlackWashingtonWA-03456 LostRan as an American Solidarity Party candidate; did not advance to top-two general2022Erskine LeviCaliforniaCA-3117 LostRan as a write-in candidate; did not advance to top-two general2020Shane HoffmanOhioOH-1575 LostRan as a write-in candidate2018Brian CarrollCaliforniaCA-221,591 LostRan on a no party preference line; did not advance to top-two general

Statewide elections In addition to the candidates below, Solidarity National Committee member Dr. Tyler Martin ran for governor of Nebraska in 2022. Nebraska does not report write-in votes separately, meaning Martin's vote share is unknown. YearCandidateOfficeStateDistrictVotes%ResultNotes2026Duane Terrence Loynes Jr. GovernorCaliforniaAt-LargeRan on a no party preference line2024Eric AntonAuditor GeneralPennsylvaniaAt-Large20,989 LostRan as an American Solidarity Party candidate2024Richard McKibbinRailroad CommissionerTexasAt-Large1,656 LostRan as a write-in candidate2022James HaninkGovernorCaliforniaAt-Large10,110 LostRan on a no party preference line; did not advance to top-two general2022Desmond SilveiraSecretary of StateCaliforniaAt-Large235 LostRan as a write-in candidate2022Jacqueline AbernathyGovernorTexasAt-Large1,243 LostRan as a write-in candidate2021James HaninkGovernor (recall)CaliforniaAt-Large7,193 LostRan on a no party preference line; did not advance to top-two general2018Desmond SilveiraGovernorCaliforniaAt-Large4,633 LostRan on a no party preference line; did not advance to top-two general

State legislature elections In addition to the candidates below, in 2024, Amar Patel ran for state representative in Illinois' 48th district, and Jonathan Bruce ran for state representative in South Carolina's 8th district. Neither state reports write-in votes separately. Year Candidate Office State District Votes % Result Notes 2021 Benjamin Schmitz State Senate Wisconsin 13 194 Lost Ran as an American Solidarity Party candidate 2017 Monica Sohler General Assembly New Jersey 6 821 Lost Ran as an American Solidarity Party candidate

Local elections YearCandidateOfficeAreaDistrictVotes%ResultNotes2025Dustin PieperCity CouncilBatavia4299 WonNon-partisan election2025Daniel O'ConnellLibrary TrusteeLombardAt-Large (four seats)1,961 LostNon-partisan election2025Daniel HollenbachLibrary TrusteeLombardAt-Large (four seats)1,755 LostNon-partisan election2025Sam KuhlmanLibrary TrusteeLombardAt-Large (four seats)1,596 LostNon-partisan election2025Dustin HimmerichLibrary TrusteeLombardAt-Large (four seats)1,536 LostNon-partisan election2025Richard PetraitisLibrary TrusteeWoodridgeAt-Large (two seats)684 LostNon-partisan election2024George DziukCity CouncilElmendorf347 WonNon-partisan election

Presidential tickets