Perennial Candidates Entertain the Electorate

November 7, 2006

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November 7, 2006

Almost every state has its perennial candidates. Illinois has Ray Wardingley, once known as Spanky the Clown. He's run eight times, and lost eight times. This year he's running for Congress.

STEVE INSKEEP, host:

If you're voting today in Tennessee, you're deciding a U.S. Senate race between Republican Bob Corker and Democrat Harold Ford, Jr. But if you're not satisfied with those choices, you can look a little farther down the ballot.

RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

There's another name. David Gatchell. You won't see his middle name, which he legally changed to None Of The Above. David None of the Above Gatchell is running for Senate and for governor.

Mr. DAVID GATCHELL (Senatorial Candidate, Tennessee): I have it planned out to run for the next 20 years, or until they relent and put none of the above on the ballot as a ballot option.

MONTAGNE: It's only David None of the Above Gatchell's second go at elected office, but he's well on his way to becoming what's known as the perennial candidate. Peter Francia is a professor of political science at East Carolina University.

Professor PETER FRANCIA (Professor of Political Science, East Carolina University): You will sometimes see in any of these perennial candidates borderline obsessive on a particular issue. And sometimes these are legitimate concerns and issues that major parties are not addressing, but they often are motivated to run for office because they want that issue out there and for the public to hear about it.

INSKEEP: Sometimes perennial candidates become famous even if they never win many votes.

MONTAGNE: Illinois residents think of Ray Wardingley, once known as Spanky the Clown. He's run eight times and lost eight times. This year, he's running for Congress.

INSKEEP: And before him there was Lar America First Daly. Mr. America First Daly spent 40 unsuccessful years campaigning in Chicago wearing an Uncle Sam costume. He promised, if elected, to have drug pushers shot on site.

MONTAGNE: Here in California, Hector Reno Reyna began the quest for office in 1960. In his most recent bid for mayor of Oakland he lost with less than half of one percent of the vote.

INSKEEP: And here is the voice of the man who may be the most famous perennial candidate of all.

Mr. HAROLD STASSEN (Perennial Candidate): The extreme of conservatism is a cause of excessive unemployment and bankruptcies and human suffering. And the extreme of liberalism is a cause of wild inflation and deterioration and human suffering.

INSKEEP: That's Harold Stassen speaking in 1983. He tried and failed nine times to gain the Republican presidential nomination and his name came to symbolize political futility.

MONTAGNE: So why do they keep running?

Professor FRANCIA: Occasionally, I think you have these Don Quixote types who may be do really believe that, you know, this is going to be the year that things will somehow change. And occasionally, Americans do throw us curve balls - Jesse Ventura for example, you know, won in Minnesota - but of course in the overwhelming percentage that's not the case.

MONTAGNE: Political scientist Peter Francia.

In Tennessee, David None of the Above Gatchell concedes he's got no chance of winning. For one, staffing issues have kept him from many statewide appearances.

Mr. GATCHELL: My campaign manager is my dog. My pug. But he's not much of a traveler.

MONTAGNE: And while Gatchell and his sidekick don't see elected office in their future, it hasn't stopped him or other perennial candidates from trying.

(Soundbite of song “The Impossible Dream”)

Unidentified Man: (Singing) This is my quest to follow that star. No matter how hopeless, no matter how far. To fight for the rights without question or pause. To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause. And I know if I'll only be true to this glorious quest that my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I'm laid to my rest…

INSKEEP: You'll be able to follow the returns in every Senate and House race this evening at npr.org.

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