A Brief History of the Constitution Party

In 1992 a coalition of Independent State Parties united to form the U.S. Taxpayers Party with the common goal of limiting the Federal Government to its Constitutional boundaries and restoring the foundations of civil government back to the fundamental principles our country was founded upon. Some of the State Affiliate Parties have adopted the national party name while others have adopted or retained a different name. In 1992, the Party’s presidential candidate, Howard Phillips was on the ballot in 21 states with Albion Knight Jr. as Phillip’s running mate. In 1995, the Party became the fifth political party to be formally recognized by the Federal Election Commission as a national political party. In 1996 the Party achieved ballot access in 39 states, with Howard Phillips as its presidential nominee and Constitutional scholar Herb Titus as its vice-presidential nominee. 

In 1999, at its national nominating convention for the 2000 elections, convention delegates chose to change the party name to "Constitution Party" believing that the new name better reflected the Party’s primary policy approach of enforcing the U.S. Constitution’s provisions and limitations. Also at that convention, Howard Phillips was elected to be the party’s presidential nominee for the 2000 elections. Dr. J. Curtis Frazier of Missouri was selected as his vice-presidential running mate at a meeting of the Party's National Committee over Labor Day weekend of 2000.

In the 2000 elections, the Constitution Party achieved full presidential ballot access in 41 states and qualified write-in candidate status in 6 others. This made for a total of 48 states where people were able to to cast their votes for Constitution Party candidates. In addition, the Party fielded over 100 candidates nationwide for offices ranging from the federal to the local levels of government.

The challenges our nation faces are significant and pervasive. Therefore, the Constitution Party is focused on identifying, training and preparing candidates for future elections at all levels of government, starting at the local level on up. In light of the widespread need across the country, the party is fully dedicated to building party strength and organization at the State, County and local level.

The Constitution Party stands firmly on the principles of government laid down by our Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Unlike other political organizations, we do not believe these principles are outdated. We also recognize that the Constitution of the United States of America is actively the supreme law of the land and must be enforced. Our government has become a problem because these principles are ignored and not followed and that the people have allowed this to occur. We need a return to a government that is limited in its scope and structure; protects all innocent life; protects liberty, not suppresses it; and allows the free pursuance of happiness, not regulation of it. In the spirit of the Declaration of Independence it is time to remove power from that 'faraway' government in Washington, D.C. and return it to the people, states and local communities.

Our nation is at a critical crossroad and the need for a national political party that will represent and stand for the Constitution as well as what is right is greater than ever. In light of this, we urge you to get involved now and lend what support you can. The future of our nation may hang in the balance.