by Partisan Staff; this article was originally published in Partisan issue no. 24, printed November 2007.

An exciting contest is shaping up for the Peace and Freedom Party presidential nomination. At least six names are likely to appear on the ballot to be marked by California's Peace and Freedom Party voters by February 5, 2008. It is possible that some of these candidates may withdraw, but no others may be added. [While the deadline for withdrawal by candidates has not come as this issue goes to press, the deadline for adding names has passed.]

The Peace and Freedom presidential preference primary is set to include two widely-known candidates, previous presidential candidate Ralph Nader and former Member of Congress Cynthia McKinney, who also are seeking the nomination of California's Green Party.

Two of the other candidates, former Florida U.S. Senate candidate Brian Moore and 2006 California Lt. Governor nominee Stewart Alexander, have already been chosen as the 2008 top ticket of the Socialist Party U.S.A., and are expected to appear on the ballot in a number of other states. While Moore is the SP nominee for President, and Alexander is the SP nominee for Vice President, they are both on the primary ballot for President.

Another candidate whose name is familiar to many Peace and Freedom Party voters is Gloria La Riva, who was the Peace and Freedom Party nominee for Governor of California in 1994. Already chosen as the presidential nominee of the Party for Socialism and Liberation for 2008, she was formerly a member of the Workers World Party, for which she served several times as their candidate for Vice President.

John Crockford of Fresno County is making his first run for President, but has the unusual distinction of having run for the same State Assembly seat first as a Green in 2004, and later as the Peace and Freedom Party nominee in 2006. In a 2005 run for Clovis City Council he received 27% of the vote.

The presidential preference primary does not bind delegates, but is advisory. The State Central Committee to be elected in the June primary election traditionally gives considerable weight to the preferences voters express, and someone with a clear majority is likely to be nominated at the state convention in August. [Because the vote does not elect delegates, both Moore and Alexander can run without damaging the chances of their team, as votes for either of them will be taken as support for their ticket.] It is still early in the selection process, and it is possible for many things to happen, but this is the first chance for Peace and Freedom Party voters to express their formal support for possible nominees for President.

At press time, the names of other contenders for nomination at the October Socialist Party convention are on the list of Peace and Freedom Party candidates, but most are expected to withdraw their names before the late-November deadline. They are Eric Chester, Mary Alice Herbert, Stanley Hetz, Linda McKinney and Dwight Welch.

Links to candidate websites and other information is available on the Peace and Freedom Party website at www.peaceandfreedom.org.