2020 Constitution Party presidential primaries

The 2020 Constitution Party presidential primaries were a series of primary elections determining the allocation of delegates in the selection of the Constitution Party's presidential nominee in the 2020 United States presidential election. On May 2, 2020, the Constitution Party nominated Don Blankenship for president and William Mohr for vice-president.[1] Several state parties split from the national Constitution Party to nominate their own candidates.[2]

2020 Constitution Party presidential primaries
March 3–10, 2020
339½ delegates to the Constitution Party National Convention
 
Candidate Don Blankenship Uncommitted
Home state West Virginia n/a
Contests won 2 1
Popular vote 641 397
Percentage 33.25% 20.59%
 
Candidate Don J. Grundmann Samm Tittle
Home state California Texas
Contests won 0 1
Popular vote 256 199
Percentage 13.28% 10.32%
 
Candidate Charles Kraut
Home state Virginia
Contests won 0
Popular vote 186
Percentage 9.65%
Previous Constitution Party nominee

Darrell Castle

 Constitution Party nominee

Don Blankenship


2020 U.S. presidential election
Republican Party
Democratic Party
Third parties
Related races
2020

Background

Constitution Party nominees for president historically have received around 0.1% of the General Election vote. In 2016 with attorney Darrell Castle as its nominee, the party reached a milestone, receiving over 200,000 votes for president for the first time.[3] During the early months of 2019, there was some consternation among Constitution Party members over a perceived lack of candidates for the nomination.[4]

State affiliate disputes

After the Constitution Party chose Blankenship as its presidential nominee, there was substantial tension among several state affiliates of the Constitution Party over nominating Blankenship, who has been convicted of conspiring to willfully violate mine safety and health standards in relation to the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster.[5] The same day that Blankenship was chosen as the nominee, the Constitution Party of Virginia broke with the national party, instead choosing to back Libertarian Justin Amash for the presidency.[5]

On May 13, 2020, the Constitution Party of New Mexico also broke with the national CP, giving Blankenship's fellow candidate Samm Tittle their ballot line.[6] Tittle was also endorsed by the Virginia Party after Amash withdrew from the presidential race.[2] The Constitution Party of Idaho was reportedly considering not nominating William Mohr For Vice-President, and instead choosing their own vice-presidential nominee, but they eventually acquiesced and nominating him for vice-president.[7][8]

Candidates

Nominee
2020 Constitution Party ticket[1]
Don Blankenship William Mohr
for President for Vice President
Coal executive Chairman of the
U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan
641 votes
2 states won (ID, MO)

Campaign

Defeated at convention

The following candidates received at least 5% of the vote at the 2020 Constitution Party national convention.[1]

Name Born Experience Home
state		 Campaign
Announcement date		 Popular vote Contests won Ref

Don J. Grundmann		 March 5, 1952
(age 68)
Oakland, California		 Chiropractor
Chairman of the Constitution Party of California
California		 August 30, 2019
FEC filing[9]		 256 0 [10][11]

Samm Tittle		 El Paso, Texas Independent Candidate for President in 2012 and 2016
Texas		 January 28, 2020
FEC filing[12]		 199 1
(NM)		 [13][11]

Charles Kraut		 New York Financial adviser and author
Virginia		 October 29, 2019
FEC filing[14]		 186 0 [15]

Debates
C2
Boise
C3
Chicago
Sites of the Constitution Party presidential debates (online debates not shown)
No.DateTime
(ET)		PlaceSponsor(s)ModeratorsRef
1February 25, 2020TBDOnlineConstitution Party of TexasScott Copeland
Ricardo Davis
Randy Stufflebeam		[11]
2February 29, 2020TBDBoise, IdahoConstitution Party of IdahoTBD[16]
3March 4, 2020TBDHilton Chicago,
Chicago, Illinois		Free & Equal Elections FoundationChristina Tobin[17]
4April 1, 2020TBDOnlineVision 20/20Randy Stufflebeam[18]
Debates among candidates for the 2020 Constitution Party U.S. presidential nomination
DateStateHostParticipants
 P  Participant.  A  Absent.  O  Out of race (exploring, suspended, or not yet entered) Blankenship Cummings Grundmann Myers[lower-alpha 1] Kraut Tittle Others
February 25, 2020[11] Online Constitution Party of Texas A P P A P P none
February 29, 2020[16] Boise, Idaho Constitution Party of Idaho P P P P P P none
March 4, 2020[17] Chicago, Illinois Free & Equal Elections Foundation A A A P P A none
April 1, 2020[18] Online Vision 20/20 P P P A P P none

Timeline
Active campaigns
Withdrawn campaigns
Midterm elections
North Carolina primary
National emergency
declared due to
COVID-19
Constitution National Convention
General election
Don Blankenship

2019
  • August 30: Don J. Grundmann announced his campaign and filed his candidacy with the FEC.[9]
  • September 11: Don Blankenship announced his campaign.
  • October 29: Charles Kraut announced his campaign and filed his candidacy with the FEC.[14]
  • October 31: Don Blankenship filed his candidacy with the FEC.

2020
  • February 25: The first Constitution Party debate took place online, held by Constitution Party of Texas.[11]
  • February 29: The second Constitution Party debate took place in Boise, Idaho.[16]
  • March 3: The North Carolina primary took place. Uncommitted delegates win a majority.
  • March 4: Two Constitution Party candidates took part in the Free & Equal elections debate that took place in Chicago.[17]
  • March 10: Blankenship won Idaho and Missouri.
  • April 1: The third Constitution Party debate took place online.[18]
  • May 13: Tittle won New Mexico.

Primary and caucus calendar
Date Primaries/Caucuses/Conventions
March 3 North Carolina primary
March 10 Idaho primary
Missouri primary
March 20 Wyoming primary
April 18 South Carolina primary
April 25 Utah primary
May 13 New Mexico primary

Ballot access

Filing for the primaries began in August 2019. indicates that the candidate was on the ballot for the upcoming primary contest and indicates that the candidate did not appear on the ballot in that state's contest.

Primaries and Caucuses
State/
Territory		 Date
Blankenship
Grundmann
Kraut
Tittle
Cummings
Myers
 Ref
NC Mar 3
ID Mar 10
MO Mar 10
UT Apr 25[19]
NM May 13[20]

    Results

    Date Contest Popular vote[lower-alpha 2] Source
    Don Blankenship Don J. Grundmann Sheila “Samm” Tittle Charles Kraut Daniel Clyde Cummings J. R. Myers No Preference
    Uncommitted
    March 3 North
    Carolina    		 102
    (36.30%)    		 62
    (22.06%)    		 117
    (41.64%)
    March 10 Idaho 250
    (27.59%)    		 88
    (9.71%)    		 195
    (21.52%)    		 124
    (13.69%)    		 133
    (14.68%)    		 116
    (12.80%)
    Missouri 287
    (39.05%)    		 168
    (22.86%)    		 280
    (38.10%)
    May 15 New
    Mexico    		 2
    (33.33%)    		 4
    (66.67%)
    Popular vote
    (Percentage)    		 641
    (33.25%)    		 256
    (13.28%)    		 199
    (10.32%)    		 186
    (9.65%)    		 133
    (6.90%)    		 116
    (6.02%)    		 397
    (20.59%)

    North Carolina
    North Carolina Constitution Party presidential primary, March 3, 2020[21]
    Candidate Popular vote
    Count Percentage
    Uncommitted 117 41.64%
    Don Blankenship 102 36.30%
    Charles Kraut 62 22.06%
    Total: 281 100%

    Idaho
    Idaho Constitution Party presidential primary, March 10, 2020[22]
    Candidate Popular vote
    Count Percentage
    Don Blankenship 250 27.59%
    Sheila “Samm” Tittle 195 21.52%
    Daniel Clyde Cummings 133 14.68%
    Charles Kraut 124 13.69%
    J. R. Myers[lower-alpha 1] 116 12.80%
    Don J. Grundmann 88 9.71%
    Total: 906 100%

    Missouri
    Missouri Constitution Party presidential primary, March 10, 2020[23]
    Candidate Popular vote
    Count Percentage
    Don Blankenship 287 39.05%
    Uncommitted 280 38.10%
    Don J. Grundmann 168 22.86%
    Total: 735 100%

    New Mexico
    New Mexico Constitution Party presidential primary, May 15, 2020[24]
    Candidate Popular vote
    Count Percentage
    Sheila “Samm” Tittle 4 66.67%
    Don Blankenship 2 33.33%
    Total: 6 100%

    Notes
    1. J. R. Myers is a member of the Life and Liberty Party, but was on the ballot for the Constitution Party primary in Idaho.
    2. In the below table, blank cells indicate the candidate was not a ballot option or approved write-in candidate. Shaded cells indicate withdrawn candidates.

    See also
    National Conventions

    Presidential primaries

    References
    1. Winger, Richard (May 2, 2020). "Constitution Party Nominates Don Blankenship for President on Second Ballot". Ballot Access News. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
    2. Winger, Richard (July 26, 2020). "Virginia Constitution Party Nominates Sheila Tittle for President". Ballot Access News. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
    3. "2016 National Results - Constitution Party". Constitution Party. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
    4. Myers, J.R. (March 15, 2020). "JR Myers: Where Are The Constitution Party 2020 POTUS Candidates?". Independent Political Report. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
    5. "Virginia Constitution Party Rejects Nomination of Blankenship, Wants Libertarian Justin Amash To Be Its Presidential Candidate". American Third Party Report. May 2, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
    6. "New Mexico Constitution Party Rejects National CP Nominee". American Third Party Report. May 13, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
    7. Whitley, Floyd W. (May 14, 2020). "CP-Idaho will still choose our own VP candidate". American Third Party Report. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
    8. Winger, Richard (August 1, 2020). "Idaho Constitution Party Nominates Don Blankenship for President". Ballot Access News. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
    9. "GRUNDMANN FOR PRESIDENT". FEC.gov. August 30, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
    10. "Fight the Power: The official site of Don J. Grundmann for President". Fightthepower.org.
    11. Stufflebeam, Randall (February 25, 2020). "Texas Constitution Party 2020 Presidential Debate". YouTube. Constitution Party of Texas. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
    12. "TITTLE, SHEILA "SAMM"". Federal Electoral Commission. January 28, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
    13. "Samm Tittle's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
    14. "Statement of Candidacy" (PDF). docquery.fec.gov. 2019.
    15. "About Charles Kraut". Charles W. Kraut 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
    16. "Idaho Constitution Party sets presidential debate in Boise on Feb. 29". Idaho County Free Press. February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
    17. "FREE & EQUAL ELECTIONS' OPEN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE". Free & Equal. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
    18. Stufflebeam, Randall (April 1, 2020). "Debate 1 - The Constitution - Part 1". YouTube. Vision 20/20. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
    19. http://www.american3rdpartyreport.com/2019/12/constitution-party-of-utah-fails-to.html
    20. http://www.american3rdpartyreport.com/2020/05/cp-nm-rejects-national-nominee.html
    21. North Carolina State Board of Elections. "03/03/2020 Unofficial Local Election Results - Statewide". Retrieved 2020-03-04.
    22. State of Idaho Elections Department. "Election Night Results". Retrieved 2020-03-10.
    23. Missouri Secretary of State. "State of Missouri - Election Night". Retrieved 2020-03-10.
    24. http://www.american3rdpartyreport.com/2020/05/cp-nm-rejects-national-nominee.html
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