NY Independence Party Presidential Nomination

The New York Independence Party formally nominated the McCain-Palin ticket in Albany on September 21. Approximately 40 state committee members attended. Proxy voting dominates such meetings. McCain received 83% of the weighted vote, and the other 17% abstained. The entire meeting, which was a combination reorganization meeting and a state convention, last less than an hour. Frank MacKay was re-elected state chair.

As a member, I was part of the 17% that represented about 100,000 voters.

After review of the local articles, I agree with this assessment.

The state Independence Party's endorsement of Republican John McCain has very little to do with the race for the White House. It's really a move to help Senate Republicans retain their majority. MacKay is gambling big time on McCain, who is widely expected to lose in Democrat-dominated New York despite a recent poll that showed him trailing Obama here by just 5 percentage points among likely voters.

MacKay didn't deny that providing McCain with a third ballot line in New York was really designed to help the endangered Senate Republicans, who are just two seats away from losing the majority. The Independence Party has long been allied with the Senate GOP and bent over backward this year to endorse Republican incumbents and candidates in key races, even changing its own rules to do so. The hope is that disaffected Republicans and independents will pull the lever for McCain on Row C in November will continue down the line and support GOP Senate candidates there, too. In close races, the votes on third-party lines could prove crucial in the battle for control of the Senate.

This is the IPNYC response:


Statement by New York City County Chairs on the
State Party's endorsement of John McCain

September 21, 2008


“The Independence Party's cross-endorsement of John McCain is one step in the sham that the state party has become. The deal with McCain was made by one man, the State Chairman, Frank MacKay. Members of the State Committee, the body empowered to select a presidential nominee, were not informed or consulted about MacKay's plan.

This dictatorial way of doing party business has become MacKay's standard operating procedure. MacKay spent the last week trying to distrupt meetings of IP members who were democratically forming county committees in New York City, made up of 4,000 IP members. At this point, the New York City Independence Party is the only wing of the party with a genuine track record of independence and democratic participation.

MacKay has corrupted and virtually destroyed the State Party taking it from a vibrant, pro-democracy force for political reform to a corrupt manipulation of people's genuine desire for change. If John McCain thinks that the State Independence Party is a symbol of independent thinking and activism, he is sadly mistaken.”

- Cathy L. Stewart: Chair, New York County IP
- Robert Conroy: Chair, Kings County IP
- Molly Honigsfeld: Chair, Queens County IP
- Keith McHenry: Chair, Bronx County IP
- Sarah D. Lyons: Chair, Richmond County IP


Michael H. Drucker
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