Metroland
by David King
November 5, 2010

Green Party gains ballot access with Howie Hawkins' surprising success

Republicans stormed across the country picking up seats in Congress—ask most pundits, and they will tell you that the country is swinging back towards the right. But in New York, progressive Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins, who promised a “Green New Deal” and a job for every New Yorker, delivered his party more than the 50,000 votes it needed to secure ballot access for its candidates. And the party had its best showing in the state's history.

“This is the best showing ever for statewide Green Party candidates,” said Peter LaVenia, co-chair of the Green Party of New York State, in a statement. “Voters are fed up with Democrats and Republicans taking their votes for granted, and are open to hearing ideas from a party not beholden to Wall Street and special interests. Howie Hawkins campaigned tirelessly to promote the idea of a Green New Deal, funded by progressive taxation on the wealthy, and using the stock transfer tax we already collect to fill the budget gap.

“Voters who heard the message understood that Howie's platform made sense, and that it's the austerity plans of Cuomo and Paladino that are nonsense,” said LaVenia. Hawkins, along with Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Warren Redlich, pushed hard to ensure their inclusion in debates, and they succeeded. Both candidates were able to present policy ideas of substance in front of a major television audience during the only gubernatorial debate. Apparently, voters liked what they heard from Hawkins.