Third Party Contender

Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minute Man Project, which has been patrolling the Southern border of the United States and reporting illegal border crossings to the Border Patrol is considering a run for President in 2008.

I certainly don't think he can win that seat but I think the immigration issue is a big enough hook that he could possibly rival the numbers of H. Ross Perot back in 1992 where he received 19% of the popular vote.

Like Perot, Gilchrist will be called all sorts of names by those still swallowing the Republican Kool-Aid. He'll be accused of watering down the Republican vote and getting Hillary Clinton elected. He'll be no friend of Hillary though since she's moving to the right in the immigration debate also. Gilchrist could steal her thunder. Since the press will be falling all over themselves to support Hillary, they won't be promoting Gilchrist despite his possible 'spoiler' factor for the GOP.

Gilchrist will have a hard time forcing his way in to the Presidential debates though because the Commission On Presidential Debates, in 2000 required that in order to participate in the debates, a candidate had to have 15% support level in nationwide polls. Perot qualified with only 7-9%. Certainly both major party candidates will be very afraid to debate Gilchrist on immigration because most Americans will agree with him.

Although I typically vote Libertarian, if Gilchrist runs, I will not only vote for him, I will also help out with campaign work. He's based here in Orange County and this would likely be the center of his campaign.