American Constitution Party (Colorado)

Background

The American Constitution Party registered as a political party with the state of Colorado on July 23, 2000. In July 2013, the ACP had just over 7,000 registered Colorado voters affiliated with it. Some of the party's positions include:

ACP members ... call for the abolition of the Food and Drug Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the departments of Education and Energy and the Federal Election Commission. They seek the repeal of a number of laws, including one aimed at preventing threats and force against abortion clinics and women seeking abortions and a 1960s-era law meant to end discriminatory election practices.

For most of its existence, the ACP has existed as one of Colorado's "minor parties", and has never elected one of its candidates to office.

Party platform

The American Constitution Party of Colorado seeks to:

Allow state legislatures, not voters, to pick U.S. senators (i.e., repeal the 17th Amendment)

Repeal legislation making it illegal to use force or the threat of force to interfere with a woman seeking an abortion

Abolish congressional pensions

End the Endangered Species Act

Terminate the U.S. Departments of Energy and Education, the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Election Commission and the Internal Revenue Service

Ban electronic voting to prevent voter fraud

Repeal all federal campaign-finance laws

Repeal the Voting Rights Act of 1965

End compulsory public school attendance and promote homeschooling, private schools or religious schools

End any domestic federal aid not provided for in the U.S. Constitution, as it is "not only illegal, it is immoral"

End foreign aid and participation in multinational groups, such as the United Nations, as well as multinational treaties

Retake the Panama Canal

Prevent women from serving in combat as "these 'advances' undermine the integrity, morale and performance of our military organizations"

"Cease financing or arming of belligerents in the world's troubled areas"

Return to the people all federal lands held by the government without constitutional authorization

Bar any attempt to legalize the union of gay couples

Immediately collect all foreign debts owed to the U.S.

The ACP is affiliated with the national-level Constitution Party, which has developed a party platform as well.

Major party status

Under state law, the American Constitution Party's vote share in the 2010 gubernatorial election elevated the party from "minor" to "major" party status. Any party that earns 10% or more of the votes cast for governor is a defined under statute as a "major party". Major party status gives the party a place at or near the top of the ballot in the 2014 gubernatorial election.

However, because of the additional organizational, financial, and compliance requirements triggered by major party status, ACP leaders have been ambivalent about the change.

2010 gubernatorial election

Former Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo ran as the party's candidate for Colorado governor in 2010 after the campaign of Republican Party nominee Dan Maes collapsed politically. He won around 36% of the vote, receiving more than 2.5 times the vote of Republican Party nominee Maes. Democratic candidate John Hickenlooper won the election with just over 51% of the vote.

After the election, Tancredo quickly rejoined the Republican Party, disappointing an ACP leadership struggling to contend with major party status and how to successfully leverage the increased attention the party had received because of his candidacy.

Candidates

Although the American Constitution Party's political and organizational sophistication did not grow despite the attention brought to it by Tancredo's 2010 gubernatorial candidacy, the party has fielded more candidates in the 2010 and 2012 cycles than it had in the entirety of the previous decade.