THE CANDIDATE

Federal directory · 2026 cycle

Constitution Party

The Constitution Party is a federal third party founded in 1991 around strict constitutional originalism, social conservatism, and a non-interventionist foreign policy.

See every 2026 Constitution Party candidate

1 of 3 candidates have filed FEC reports; total raised: $0 this 2026 cycle.

About the Constitution Party

Federal candidates running on the Constitution Party line.

History of the Constitution Party

Founded
1991
Founder(s)
Howard Phillips

The Constitution Party was founded in 1991 as the U.S. Taxpayers Party by conservative-movement organizer Howard Phillips, who had become disillusioned with the Republican drift away from limited-government and Christian-right positions during the George H. W. Bush administration.[1][2] The organization renamed itself in 1999 to reflect its core commitment to a strict-construction reading of the U.S. Constitution.

Howard Phillips was the party's presidential nominee three times — 1992, 1996, and 2000 — receiving small but consistent vote totals in the states where the organization achieved ballot access. The 2008 Chuck Baldwin / Darrell Castle ticket received roughly 200,000 votes, the best-ever presidential performance under this banner.[1][2]

The organization retains ballot access in roughly 10–15 states depending on cycle, with its strongest presence in Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Nevada. The 2024 presidential nominee Randall Terry received roughly 40,000 votes nationwide.[1][2]

Sources

  1. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Party_(United_States)
  2. [2]https://ballotpedia.org/Constitution_Party
  3. [3]https://constitutionparty.com

Constitution Party platform

The Constitution Party platform applies an originalist reading of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to federal policy, combining Christian-right social positions with a libertarian-leaning approach to the size of the federal government.[1]

  1. 1. Constitutional originalism

    Limit federal authority to the powers enumerated in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution; repeal the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Amendments; and eliminate the Federal Reserve.[1][3]

  2. 2. Right to life

    A federal Human Life Amendment recognizing personhood from conception; defunding of Planned Parenthood; and reversal of federal abortion-pill access.[1][3]

  3. 3. Sound money and tax abolition

    Abolition of the federal income tax and replacement with apportioned taxes; return to a commodity-backed monetary standard; and elimination of the Internal Revenue Service.[1][3]

  4. 4. Immigration restriction

    A moratorium on new legal immigration during current high unemployment; an end to birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants; and constructive enforcement of existing immigration law.[1][3]

  5. 5. Non-interventionist foreign policy

    Withdrawal from the United Nations, NATO, and most foreign-aid commitments; an end to nation-building deployments; and a return to a strict declaration-of-war standard for military action.[1][3]

Sources

  1. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Party_(United_States)
  2. [2]https://constitutionparty.com
  3. [3]https://ballotpedia.org/Constitution_Party

Recent electoral performance — Constitution Party

The organization has never won a federal seat. Its electoral history is concentrated in low-vote-share presidential bids and a small number of state-level wins.

  • 2008 presidential vote: Chuck Baldwin received roughly 200,000 votes (0.15%) — the best-ever performance under this banner.[1][2]
  • 2016 presidential vote: Darrell Castle received roughly 200,000 votes (0.15%).[1][2]
  • 2024 presidential vote: Randall Terry received roughly 40,000 votes nationwide.[1][2]
  • State-level: Rick Jore won an at-large seat in the Montana House of Representatives in 2006 — the only state legislator in the organization's history.[2]

Sources

  1. [1]https://ballotpedia.org/Constitution_Party
  2. [2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Party_(United_States)

Current federal representation — Constitution Party

Federal candidates currently filing under this banner for the 2026 cycle, sourced from FEC `cand_pty_affiliation = CON`.

The organization currently has no federal incumbents in the U.S. House or Senate. Its 2026 cycle filings are challenger candidates only.

Constitution Party candidates — 2026 cycle

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