Nationality United States Spouse(s) Miriam Steinberg Website www.2016primary.com | Citizenship American Children 3 Alma mater University of Florida | |
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Born February 6, 1959 (age 58) ( 1959-02-06 ) Political party Democratic (before 2016)
Reform (2016–present) Political parties Democratic Party (?–2016), Reform Party of the United States of America (2016–) Similar Rocky De La Fuente, Ross Perot, Thomas Jefferson | ||
Michael Alan Steinberg (born February 6, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician. He has been an unsuccessful candidate in several Florida state legislature elections, and for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2016 election. He was the Reform Party's nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 2016 election.
Contents
- Background
- 2002 Florida Florida state legislature election
- 2006 Florida state legislature election
- 2014 election drama
- 2016 presidential election campaign
- 2016 vice presidential candidacy
- Personal
- References
In 2010 he had been working in the Social Security disability claims area for nearly 30 years, and was cited by the Tampa Bay Times as an expert: "You have a double whammy," he said about population aging and the economy doing poorly, as causes for local increase in claims, and for the record nationwide 21 percent increase in claims from 2008 to 2009. At that time he was running for the Florida state House in District 47.
In 2014, his wife Miriam ran for Florida state legislature seat in District 64, where he had run unsuccessfully in 2002.
Background
Steinberg received his bachelor's degree in economics and law degree from the University of Florida. In addition to his career as an attorney practicing Social Security law, he has served on the Florida Bar Association's military law subcommittee.
2002 Florida Florida state legislature election
In 2002 Steinberg ran for election in district 47. He candidacy was endorsed by the St. Petersburg Times Two months after losing the election Steinberg filed lawsuit against the state Republican party for push polling against him in the election. "Tarrance Group, a Virginia-based polling company the Florida Republican Party hired to survey voters across the state." "But he says there is a principle involved. He says – and Common Cause Florida concurs – that the Democrats and Republicans both are guilty of employing these polls." "Towson Fraser, spokesman for the Republican Party of Florida, denied that his party uses push polls."
2006 Florida state legislature election
in 2006 Steinberg received 1,334 votes, 3.4 percent. in race for U.S. House of Representatives 9th district.
2014 election drama
Steinberg played a significant role in an unusual incident in Florida elections. When his wife Miriam Steinberg was running for office (Florida district 64) in 2014, he filed a lawsuit to disqualify a competing write-in candidate. Although the lawsuit was successful, the election was ruled invalid, and the seat was vacant until a special election could be held. As a result, the election winner J. W. Grant was out of office for a period, and his term limit clock was effectively reset. It was later ruled the write-in candidate should not have been disqualified.
Miriam lost the election to Grant by about 59:40 margin.
Subsequently, the election was ruled unconstitutional and the Florida legislature voted not to accept the result.
Miriam then failed to file new fees to run again against Grant in a special election (although Michael filed a claim against the Florida Election Commission disputing the fee requirement).
This resulted in Grant's only opponent being a write-in candidate. No write-in candidate has ever won an election in Florida, and the special election was going to be run costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Grant was about to be running up against a Florida term limit law, but because the regular election was ruled invalid the seat was vacant for most of 2015 legislative session.
2016 presidential election campaign
Steinberg filed papers with the U.S. Federal Election Commission in November 2013 to run for President in the 2016 election as a Democrat.
2016 vice-presidential candidacy
After failing to gain traction in his presidential bid, he was then nominated by the Reform Party of the United States as the vice-presidential running mate of 2016 Reform presidential nominee Rocky De La Fuente.
Personal
Steinberg and his wife Miriam live in Florida. The couple have three children.