The Constitution Party of Oregon is a political party organized as a minor party pursuant to state election law, and recognized by the U. S. state of Oregon as a statewide nominating party. A state party was first organized under this name in 1952, as the state chapter of the newly-formed national Constition Party. A new party was formed under this name in 2000 as an affiliate of the national Constitution Party, founded in 1991. It broke with the national party in 2006 over the issue of abortion.
History
The Constitution Party of Oregon was first formed in August 1952 by Louise Gronnert, Gladys Whelen, and Virgil Holland. Its history since then has not been continuous, though its goals have remained fairly consistent. Headquartered in Portland, its stated purpose was to advance and promote interest in the U.S. constitution in schools and elsewhere. Its plans took shape in 1956, when it announced a nominating convention for president and vice president of the United States. The party opposed socialism, and did not field local candidates. It announced a convention date of August 4. The party's nominations were expected to depend on how many conservative southern Democrats walked out of the Democratic convention that year. The American Constitution Party of Oregon incorporated in 1974 in Hillsboro. It was affiliated with the National American Party, and it held a convention in Portland in 1976 to nominate Tom Anderson and Rufus Shackleford for the president and vice president, respectively, of the United STates. In 1996 Oregonian Herb Titus was the vice presidential nominee of the national Constitution Party, which was then known as the U.S. Taxpayers Party. In 2000 the party was newly re-formed. Its nominee won 31% of the vote in a state legislative race where the Republican party did not nominate a candidate. By 2002, the party still had fewer than 1,000 registered voters. Also in 2002 party chairman Bob Eckstrom pledged support for Lon Mabon of the Oregon Citizens Alliance when the latter was jailed for contempt of court. In 2006 the Constitution nominee for Governor of Oregon was former TV anchor Mary Starrett, who ran on an anti-abortion platform. The state party also voted to disaffiliate with the national Constitution Party, due to differences over abortion policy. It broke with the national party in May 2006. Similar measures were taken by other state parties after the national party partially abandoned their pro-life position on the issue of abortion, supporting it in the cases of rape, incest, or the life of the mother. The amendment argued that "...until the national Constitution Party resumes a principled, pro-life position – we, in Oregon, should separate ourselves and proceed as an independent state party." As of July 31, 2016, the Oregon party has not re affiliated to the national Constitution Party. Starrett drew 3.6% of the vote; this was perceived to be primarily at the expense of Republican nominee Ron Saxton, though he lost by a margin greater than Starrett's share of the vote. There was an effort to draft Starrett to run for president of the United States in 2008. There was also speculation she might run for the U.S. sentate in 2008, but she did not ultimately seek either office. In 2008 the Constitution nominee for the U.S. Senate, Doug Brownlow, was expected to play a "spoiler" role in the contest between incumbent Gordon Smith and challenger Jeff Merkley. In that year, it also fielded candidates for the 4th Congressional District and the Oregon Attorney General, though the Oregon Republican Party sat those races out. Brownlow did ultimately draw more votes, 5.2%, than the margin between Smith and Merkley. Members of the Constitution Party protested funding of abortions by the Oregon Health Plan in 2009. In 2012 the Constitution Party of Oregon nominated Ron Paul for the U.S. presidency. Paul declined the nomination, because Oregon law would have prevented him from later being nominated by the Republican party had he accepted the nomination. In 2016, many members of minor political parties in the state re-registered for the Republican or Democratic parties in order to vote in the major parties' presidential primaries. The Constitution Party was the only party whose members went more strongly for the Republican party than the Democratic.
